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Australia have not confirmed the playing XI for the first Test against Sri Lanka in Galle, but captain Steve Smith has said that Travis Head will open the batting alongside Usman Khawaja, cricket.com.au reported on its website.
This decision marks a strategic shift as Head steps into the role previously occupied by teenager Sam Konstas. Head impressed in the opening role during Australia's 2023 tour of India, stepping in for an injured David Warner. While speculation surrounded his inclusion, Smith clarified that Head is a definite starter for the two-match series, with only minor adjustments expected in the overall line-up. "Trav [Travis Head] will go to the top, outside of that I think it will be pretty stable," Smith told reporters prior to Australia's final pre-Test training session," Smith said, as quoted from cricket.com.au. "I don't see it being a great deal of change from that," he added. "The selectors liked what they saw in India when he (Head) had that opportunity," he said. "He got after the new ball, scored quickly and put the pressure on them straight away so I guess similar thinking here," he noted. The final composition of the team depends heavily on the unpredictable nature of the Galle pitch, which saw a significant trim of grass following Australia's training session yesterday. Spin is expected to play a critical role, and this may influence Australia's selection strategy. "He's going to have a lot of practice if he doesn't play, which in itself is great for development," Smith said of Konstas, as quoted from the official website of cricket.com.au. "I only have to think back to 2013 (in India) where I didn't play the first two Tests, and just the amount of balls I was hitting in the nets and the skills I was able to develop from facing loads of net bowlers and things like that," he added. "So whether he plays or not, I think it's going to be a wonderful experience for him," he noted "He's going to learn a lot," he said. Konstas, who made a remarkable debut with a fearless half-century against India on Boxing Day, has reportedly adjusted his approach during practice sessions in Galle and Dubai, focusing on a more orthodox technique. If he is not slotted into the middle order, uncapped keeper-batter Josh Inglis could make his Test debut, while Nathan McSweeney, known for his part-time off-spin, is also an option. Smith, recovering from an elbow injury sustained during the Big Bash League (BBL), is fit to bat but remains restricted in fielding, particularly throwing. Meanwhile, left-arm spinner Matthew Kuhnemann is being considered for a recall despite recently fracturing his thumb. "Apparently the surgeon's done an incredible job for him to be able to field and do some of the things he (Kuhnemann) has been able to do the last couple of days, we're a bit gobsmacked," Smith said, as quoted from cricket.com.au. "Either he's a tremendous actor or he's got great pain tolerance, but he's ticked all the boxes and should be ready to go," he said "We'd love to name a team as early as possible but things can change really quickly in this part of the world," he added. "So we won't name a team yet, we'll wait and see what we get and probably the morning of the game go from there," he noted "The sun hasn't been out very much lately so we'll have another look at the wicket and then name the team at the toss," Smith said. Australia's team selection will likely hinge on assessing the pitch conditions on match day, with a focus on balancing their spin and batting options for the Sri Lankan challenge. (ANI)
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