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After impressing against a famed Indian bowling unit in the Border-Gavaskar Trophy, Sam Konstas was named in Australia's upcoming two-match Test tour of Sri Lanka. But there is still uncertainty whether he would walk out to open for Australia in the sub-continent.
The young tyro exhibited flawless technique straight out of cricket textbooks during his run as an opener against India. His unorthodox shots with a flair of aggression caught the attention of the world, who are keen to see the next generation taking centre stage. Konstas's pedigree for scoring runs is reflected in his tally of 113 in the two Tests, averaging 28.25 while striking at 81.88. Even with all the swagger he displayed on his home soil, there are still doubts if the young prodigy can deliver on Sri Lanka's spinning tracks. Even though the chair of selectors, George Bailey, admitted that Konstas has a technique "well-suited" for turning tracks, he didn't rule out the possibility of promoting Travis Head to the opening slot. "In truth, you never really know until someone's faced with [subcontinent conditions]. What we have seen is [that] he's a quick learner, [and] absorbs a lot of information. From his spin play in Australia and the opportunities he has played in different parts of the world, we think he's got a game that's well-suited and a technique that can stand up" Bailey said of Konstas as quoted from The Sydney Morning Herald. "That's one of the exciting things about this tour. We'll learn a bit more about his game in different conditions to what he's just faced in Australia. Trav's an [opening] option ... clearly, with that squad, we've got a number of options," he added. Head has had a fair bit of experience of opening for Australia in red-ball cricket on turning tracks. The southpaw's stint as an opener in India in 2023 saw him yield 223 runs at an average of 55 and a strike rate of 71. With designated skipper Pat Cummins sitting out of the series, Steven Smith will play the role of skipper on an interim basis. Spinners Matt Kuhnemann and Todd Murphy have made a return for the Baggy Greens. But Australia will miss the presence of Josh Hazlewood, who has been nursing a calf injury. Along with Hazlewood, seasoned all-rounder Mitchell Marsh has been kept on the sidelines for the sub-continent tour. Youngsters Cooper Connolly and Nathan McSweeney were preferred over the experienced stars Adam Zampa and Peter Handscomb, who were all thrown up as potential travellers for the tour. The series will kick off on January 29 at Galle, and the second Test will begin on February 6 at the same venue. Australia Squad: Steve Smith (c), Sean Abbott, Scott Boland, Alex Carey, Cooper Connolly, Travis Head (vc), Josh Inglis, Usman Khawaja, Sam Konstas, Matt Kuhnemann, Marnus Labuschagne, Nathan Lyon, Nathan McSweeney, Todd Murphy, Mitchell Starc, Beau Webster. (ANI)
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