Melbourne [Australia], January 24 (ANI): Former Australian captain Ricky Ponting warned the Australian selectors that they should play young opener Sam Konstas during the team’s Test series against Sri Lanka at Galle and avoid changing the batting order so that they can invest more in the 19-year-old’s Test career.
With the ICC World Test Championship final spot against South Africa already sealed, Australia would be heading to Sri Lanka in the most relaxed state of mind possible, with the first Test of two starting at Galle from January 29 onwards.
Australia is reportedly considering shuffling their order keeping Sri Lanka’s spinning conditions in mind, with Travis Head opening the innings with Usman Khawaja, which will keep Konstas out of the playing eleven after an exciting start to his career at Melbourne during the Boxing Day Test which saw him fearlessly tonk Jasprit Bumrah on his way to a half-century. He scored a total of 113 runs in four innings and won acclaim for his positive intent and ability to get under the skin of Indian bowlers, something the Australian players are known for.
Speaking ahead of the first Test starting from Galle on August 29, the Seven commentator Ponting said about Konstas as quoted by Sydney Morning Herald, “I think they will pick Konstas and I think they should pick Konstas. He is the one they have identified, he has hit the ground running here in his first innings as well. He provided a lot of entertainment and a lot of buzz around that whole series (against India).”
“I think they need to play him, to be honest. It is a hard place to play and a hard place to win. It will be a hard place to bat for all of our guys, but especially some of the younger guys who have not experienced those conditions much in the past. But I think they should pick him, it will be a great learning experience for him,” he added.
Ponting said that during the SL tour, Konstas will get to know what it is like to be a travelling cricketer and how hard it is to play in different parts of the world.
“I would be picking him if I was a selector,” he added.
While Ponting said that the move to have Travis open will suit the in-form left-hander since he could tonk the pacers before the arrival of spinners, it is important to give Konstas the experience in Sri Lanka so that he can be a long-term opener.
“I think the order will stay the same. I think it will be the same with the option they have is maybe playing another spinner. They will have Beau Webster there who will give the seam-up overs, one of the quicks is going to miss out, so Cooper Connolly might find himself in a 7 or 8 batting spot and bowling a few overs as well,” he added.
Sri Lanka Test series v Australia:
-January 29 to February 2 – Galle.
-February 6 to February 10 – Galle.
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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