Australian cricketer Nathan McSweeney expressed his disappointment after being dropped from the Test squad following three appearances against India.
Despite his efforts in challenging conditions, McSweeney was replaced by 19-year-old Sam Konstas, who is now set to open the batting on Boxing Day at the MCG during the ongoing Border-Gavaskar Trophy.
The 25-year-old, who had never opened before his stint with Australia A against India A, scored 72 runs in six innings.
However, the selectors opted for a more aggressive approach at the top order, leaving the 24-year-old out of the squad.
"Yeah, I mean, devastated. I get the dream come true and then it didn't quite work the way I wanted," said McSweeney as he flew back to Brisbane from Adelaide.
"But it's all part of it, and I'll get my head down, get back in the nets, work really hard, and hopefully be ready to go for the next opportunity," he added.
The right-handed batter was lauded for his resilience, particularly during the Adelaide Test under lights, where he played a critical role alongside Marnus Labuschagne.
Despite this, his inability to convert starts, with five dismissals between 0 and 10, cost him his place in the side.
"It's the game we're in," he said. "If you don't take an opportunity and you're not performing as well as you want to, your position's never safe. So I missed out a few times with the bat and unfortunately wasn't able to take my opportunity. But as I said, I'll work really hard to make sure that if the opportunity comes around again, I'm definitely ready."
Chair of selectors George Bailey acknowledged the difficulty of the decision.
"[It was a] really hard decision for Nathan and one that we spent a lot of time deliberating over," said Bailey.
"Particularly after a small sample size of three Tests… That's never a great phone call, is it? Nathan was disappointed, and really the message to him was much the same as at the start of the series: we believe he has the ability and temperament to succeed at Test level."
Whether McSweeney will feature for the Brisbane Heat in Sunday’s Big Bash League (BBL) clash against the Adelaide Strikers at the Gabba remains uncertain, with confirmation expected later.
Meanwhile, the Border-Gavaskar Trophy is delicately poised at 1-1 after the third Test ended in a rain-affected draw.
India, led by Jasprit Bumrah, claimed the opening Test with a commanding 295-run victory, while Australia responded with a 10-wicket win in the second match.
The decisive fourth Test will take place at the Melbourne Cricket Ground (MCG) from December 26-30.
