Aus vs Ind – Sam Konstas handed Boxing Day Test call-up as changes loom for Australia

Online Editor "Valley Vision" 2 days ago

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Nathan McSweeney has been dropped from Australia’s squad for the final two Tests against India with 19-year-old opening batter Sam Konstas earning his first call as the home side shake up the top order amid their struggles against Jasprit Bumrah.

Pace bowler Jhye Richardson has also been recalled to a Test squad for the first time in three years to provide further cover following the injury to Josh Hazlewood although Scott Boland is expected to come into the XI at the MCG.

While Konstas been included on the back of a strong run of form since being overlooked at the start of the series, after he had been part of the Australia A matches against India A, it is not certain he will play on Boxing Day in Melbourne. Josh Inglis, who has been the spare batter during the series to date, is expected to remain in the squad and could be an option if the selectors want to get creative. Beau Webster is also retained in the 15-player group.

But as a specialist opener there is now a strong chance that Konstas will debut in front of a crowd of more than 90,000 at the MCG. If he does play, it would be just his 12th first-class match although he has been marked out as a future international player since his junior days.

“The squad provides options as to how we structure the XI for the final two Tests of the series,” chair of selectors George Bailey said. “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.

“We remain confident Nathan has the ability and temperament to succeed at Test level in the future. It was a difficult decision to leave him out. It has clearly been a challenge at the top of the order for batters throughout the series and we want to provide the option of a different line-up for the next two matches.

“In the absence of Josh Hazlewood, Jhye provides further options in the fast bowling space. It has been pleasing to see his successful return throughout the early part of the domestic summer.”

After starting the season with twin centuries against South Australia, becoming the youngest to do so in the Sheffield Shield since Ricky Ponting, which put himself firmly in Test discussions, Konstas has enjoyed a productive last three weeks which included a century against the Indians in Canberra, 88 in the Sheffield Shield against Western Australia and 27-ball 56 on BBL debut for Sydney Thunder.

He also made a composed 73 not out in the second innings against India A at the MCG in early November, shortly before McSweeney was announced as having won the selection race for the first Test.

McSweeney, who had never opened in professional cricket before this season, has made 72 runs at 14.40 in the first three Tests. He scored an important 39 in the first innings in Adelaide to help negotiate a challenging session against the pink ball under lights but his record against Bumrah is four dismissals for just 15 runs in 66 deliveries. In the second innings at the Gabba, where Australia attempted to set up a game, he laboured to 4 off 25 balls before edging a wide delivery from Akash Deep.

However, McSweeney has not been alone in his struggles with Usman Khawaja averaging 12.60 in the series and Marnus Labuschagne 16.40 despite a half-century in Adelaide.

After the Brisbane Test, captain Pat Cummins, who isn’t on the selection panel, praised the role McSweeney had played but acknowledged the lack of output from the top order.

“I’ve been really impressed with the way he’s gone about it,” Cummins said. “Even today, someone starting out his career still being selfless enough to go out there and try to play shots rather than try and preserve and get a score. Really impressed with him, again probably hasn’t scored the runs he would have liked, but he has played some important knocks that have set up a win in Adelaide and a really good result here.

“Obviously they [the top three] would be hoping to score more runs, we’d like them to score more runs, but I think they have made some important contributions that others have benefited from.”

While the Konstas-McSweeney swap will take much of the attention, the recall for Richardson is also significant after his run of injuries. He has been limited to just three Test matches since debuting against Sri Lanka in January 2019, with the last being a pink-ball game in Adelaide in 2021 when he took his maiden Test five-wicket haul against England.

But Richardson has been bowling without interruption since his return in this year’s IPL and his improved fitness saw him return to first-class cricket earlier than expected. He had match figures of 4 for 85 from 29 overs against South Australia in the Shield, albeit there was a brief injury scare when hurt his shoulder celebrating, following four One-Day Cup matches and a couple of second XI games for Western Australia.

Brendan Doggett, who was called in as cover when Hazlewood was first injured in Perth, does not make this squad but Sean Abbott is retained.

The call to drop McSweeney comes just a few days after former Australia coach Darren Lehmann said he believes Bailey is too close to the players and unable to make tough decisions, something Cummins strongly hit back at.

“I don’t know how that [criticism] can be true,” Cummins said. “There is so much more to picking a side than just looking at the internet. Going on with really strong philosophies, working with players.

“The most important thing is you do stay objective and I think the selection panel are amazing at that. They’ve made some really bold calls over the past couple of years in all formats. Probably bolder than I have seen other selectors make in previous years. They’ve never shied away from a tough decision.”

Australia squad for Melbourne and Sydney Tests vs India

Pat Cummins (capt), Sean Abbott, Scott Boland, Alex Carey, Travis Head, Josh Inglis, Usman Khawaja, Sam Konstas, Marnus Labuschagne, Nathan Lyon, Mitchell Marsh, Jhye Richardson, Steven Smith, Mitchell Starc, Beau Webster

Andrew McGlashan is a deputy editor at ESPNcricinfo

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