Australian cricket great Mike Hussey described Nathan McSweeney’s axing for the Boxing Day Test as a “tough call” as the South Australian skipper paid for a lack of success with the bat.

Sam Konstas’ inclusion pushed McSweeney out of the frame after both he and fellow opener Usman Khawaja misfired across the first three Tests against India. Neither made a score above 40 this series.

South Australia captain McSweeney had never opened in a first-class match before his first three appearances for Australia, and failed to make more than 10 runs in five of his six Test innings since making his debut last month.

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“I really feel for McSweeney. I think it’s tough on him. Tough call,” Hussey said on Fox Cricket.

“I don’t know (if it was the right call). It’s a tough one on him. It’s not easy. The ball’s been moving around quite a lot for the openers. A lot of batters at the top of the order have been battling away.

“Let’s look at the other side, and it’s so exciting for a player like Sam Konstas.”

At 19 years and 85 days, Konstas would become the fourth-youngest test debutant in Australian history if selected for the Boxing Day Test in Melbourne starting December 26, and youngest since current captain Pat Cummins in 2011.

The series is level 1-1 after the rain-affected draw ending Wednesday at the Gabba in Brisbane. India won the first test by 295 runs at Perth, while Australia came back to win the second day-night test in Adelaide by 10 wickets.

“Sam gets a call up to the test squad for the first time. His style of batting offers a point of difference and we look forward to watching his game develop further,” chief selector George Bailey said.

Former Australian wicket-keeper Adam Gilchrist believes Konstas’ 56-run BBL performance in Canberra pushed his call-up to the Test team.

“I think it’s that innings (Konstas’ 50 for the Thunder) that tipped it in his favour. That’s not Jasprit Bumrah bowling to you down at Manuka Oval, I get that, but his aggression. His desire to score and get a game moving.

“It’s been horribly challenging for that Australian top order. Particularly, McSweeney coming in, but I think that statement that Sam Konstas made there, that he’s a big man. He’ll stand up and take it on, and it’s going to be amazing to watch.”

Bailey said it was a difficult decision to drop McSweeney after only three Tests but felt the top-order’s struggles had left selectors little choice but to make a change. He said Konstas was no guarantee to start the Melbourne Test.

“Just given the way that the series has played out, we just want the option of throwing something different at India for this next Test,” Bailey said. “It’s clearly been a challenge at the top of the order for both teams.”

Paceman Scott Boland is expected to be called into the XI to replace Josh Hazlewood at the MCG, where he took six wickets for the loss of only seven runs in the second innings of his Test debut three years ago.

The 35-year-old Boland most recently filled in for Hazlewood when a side strain forced Hazlewood out of the second test in Adelaide, where Boland took five wickets in his first test appearance in 18 months.