Veteran Australian opener Usman Khawaja backed his new opening partner Nathan McSweeney, urging him to play his own game against India in Perth rather than trying to ape David Warner.

Australia batter Usman Khawaja has laughed off the subject of Nathan McSweeney's strike rate of 41.92 being lower than his in Tests 48.3.

Australian chief selector George Bailey has fired back at the criticism levelled by former Test opener Ed Cowan, who called the selection of Nathan McSweeney for the Border-Gavaskar Trophy opener "a guess".

Nathan McSweeney was drafted into the Australia squad after a slew of impressive performances in the Sheffield Shield tournament and in the recent A' series against India.