‘I’d be lying if I said I didn’t have an eye on Sri Lanka tour’ – Mitchell Swepson keen on playing for Australia in Tests

Mitchell Swepson. (Photo by Mike Owen/Getty Images)

Australian cricketer Mitchell Swepson was initially called into the national side after a couple of impressive Sheffield Shield seasons with the ball. Although getting drafted into the 15-member squad for the 2017 tour to India even after having experience of only 14 first-class games, Swepson had to wait for half a decade to finally be handed his debut.

Ever since then, he has only featured in 11 white-ball games and four Tests for Australia. Recently, Swepson admitted to having his focus centralized on the Sri Lanka tour, which is slated for January next year, a place not completely unfamiliar to him. He also indicated his urge to represent Australia at the highest level once again and will hope to hold his place for a long time.

“I’d be lying if I said I didn’t have an eye on the Sri Lanka tour. That’s certainly somewhere I want to be. I’m always wanting to play at the highest level and having a taste of Test cricket has just made me hungrier to get back there,” said Swepson on the Unplayable podcast.

“I was lucky enough to be part of the last tour to Sri Lanka and play those two games, so hopefully that gives me a little bit of a leg up. I’ve got experience in those conditions, and I hope the selectors think about that,” he continued.

Also Read: I think I still have a chance to play Test cricket: Adam Zampa

It’s a good motivator, but it’s definitely out of reach of young fella: Swepson

Furthermore, Mitchell Swepson shed light on how he kept his most precious fuel of inspiration, the iconic Australian Baggy Green (debut Test cap which he received on his Test debut against Pakistan in March 2022) cap, outside the reach of his 18-month-old son, Beauden.

“He’d have his way with it. It’s downstairs tucked away nicely, not packed away, so it’s still there as a little reminder. I have to walk past it most mornings. It’s a good motivator, but it’s definitely out of reach of the young fella,” Swepson concluded.

Also Read: Nathan Lyon determined to win upcoming Border-Gavaskar Trophy

After an impressive outing in the Sheffield Shield 2023/24 edition for Queensland, the 30-year-old expected to get the nod ahead of at least one of Todd Murphy, Ashton Agar, and Matthew Kuhnemann to harmonize with their lead veteran spinner, Nathan Lyon, for the tour to India last year. However, the willy spinner was overlooked and had to prolong his wait to get more opportunities to play for Australia in Tests.