Sam Konstas Out of the Australian Team: In an interesting and bold move by Australia, young Sam Konstas would not open in the first Test against Sri Lanka. The two-Test series between Australia and Sri Lanka in Galle will kick off on January 29, Wednesday.
Previously Australia had not refrained from naming their playing XI a day before the Test match. However, this time, the visitors are keeping their cards close to their hearts.
Sam Konstas Out of the Australian Team
Interim captain Steve Smith, though, confirmed that Konstas would be replaced by Travis Head as Usman Khawaja’s opening partner. This is despite Konstas’ blockbuster initiation to Test cricket, where he played a key role in Australia winning the last two Tests of the BGT 2024-25 against India in Melbourne and Sydney.
Although Konstas averaged a mediocre 28 across the two Tests, his strike rate of 81 put the Indian bowlers, including Jasprit Bumrah, under the pump.
Travis Head did really nicely in India against the new ball: Steve Smith
Travis Head averaged 55.75 runs across two-and-a-half Tests as an opener in the tour of India in 2023, where he took the bowlers on from the opening slot. Smith was effusive in praise for Head’s ability to take down the spinners in Asian conditions.
“He (Head) did really nicely in India against the new ball. He put spinners under pressure immediately and we know how well he hits the seam as well if they come with that. It’s going to be good fun watching him,” Smith said on the eve of the first Test in Galle.
With Head being promoted to the top, the other options in the squad Australia have to fill Head’s place are Konstas, Nathan McSweeney, Cooper Connolly, and Josh Inglis.
“Just playing what’s in front of us, it’s quite different to back home on the surfaces we’ve been playing on there where it’s very pace dominant. We’d imagine this is going to be quite spin dominant,” Smith added.
Pat Cummins (ankle) and Josh Hazlewood (calf) are ruled out of this tour due to injuries. Mitchell Starc will lead the pace attack and will have Scott Boland in support. Beau Webster, who made his debut in Sydney against India, is the medium-pace all-rounder in Australia’s lineup.
In the spin department, Australia have Nathan Lyon, Todd Murphy, and Matthew Kuhnemann, with the likes of Head, Smith, and Labuschagne in support.
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