Nathan McSweeney

One early milestone came at the 2018 U19 World Cup. McSweeney was in the Australian squad that made it all the way to the final, where India proved too strong.

In first-class cricket, he began with Queensland, his home state, in the Sheffield Shield, then moved to South Australia in 2021. His Big Bash League career followed a similar path back and forth across the country. He first turned out for the Melbourne Renegades, and in 2021 the Brisbane Heat brought him in to stand in for Marnus Labuschagne. By 2023 he had been handed the Heat captaincy. Consistent domestic form also led to leadership roles beyond his teams, with McSweeney captaining both Australia A and the Prime Minister's XI.

His call-up to the national squad arrived in November 2024 for a home series against India. The selectors asked him to open the batting, a job he had not done in domestic cricket before. His first Test outing was a modest one, as India's leading fast bowler Jasprit Bumrah removed him in both innings.