Ricky Pointing has questioned why Australia’s selectors opted to omit rising younger star Sam Konstas from the facet’s opening Take a look at towards Sri Lanka in Galle.
Australia obtained off to an important begin within the first innings on Wednesday, with Steve Smith and Usman Khawaja each hammering their technique to a pair of centuries to deliver up a rating of 330-2 on the shut of play on Day One.
Konstas, who had starred on his debut in final month’s Boxing Day Take a look at, had been dropped fully from the facet, with Dishevelled Greens bosses opting to maneuver Travis Head up the order to open alongside Khawaja.
Head would in the end be dismissed by Prabath Jayasuriya after he was caught out by Dinesh Chandimal at lengthy on for 57 runs.
Australia opted to make a number of modifications to their line-up following their remaining match of the Border Gavaskar sequence, with Josh Inglis notably coming in for his Take a look at debut.
However Ponting believes it was a mistake to go away 19-year-old Konstas out of the crew.
Ricky Ponting has questioned the choice to drop Sam Konstas from Australia’s opening Take a look at towards Sri Lanka in Galle on Wednesday
The cricket nice claimed he didn’t like the choice and had anticipated the 19-year-old to open the batting
Konstas loved a superb debut on the MCG in the course of the Border Gavaskar Collection, hitting 60 runs in his first innings
‘I do not prefer it, to be sincere,’ the previous Dishevelled Greens captain instructed Channel 7 in the course of the match.
‘I simply anticipated Konstas would play and would open the batting.’
Through the summer time sequence towards India, Konstas stepped out to hit 60 on the MCG within the first innings of the Boxing Day Take a look at, earlier than happening to attain 25 runs in Australia’s victory on the SCG every week later.
His persona and fearless batting model caught the attention of many pundits and cricket followers around the globe, with the 19-year-old additionally notably clashing with India nice Virat Kohli in the course of the sequence.
Ponting, although, believes this might have been an important alternative for Australia to study extra in regards to the New South Wales batter, who clattered his technique to a half-century within the Sydney Thunder’s latest Massive Bash victory towards the Perth Scorchers.
‘We have now seen Travis Head open the batting within the subcontinent earlier than and he did very nicely… little doubt he’ll get Australia off to a flyer,’ Ponting mentioned.
‘However I believe there’s a actual missed alternative for the Australians to get to study a bit extra about Sam Konstas.
‘If he’s the participant all of us assume he’s, I might have liked to have seen him work out a technique to play spin in robust situations in Sri Lanka over the subsequent couple of weeks.’
Konstas has been within the nets in Sri Lanka this week with selectors chosing to let him acclimatise to the situations within the subcontinent moderately than decide him to play within the first Take a look at
Konstas additionally delivered a superb response to not being picked this week, with Tony Dodemaide saying: ‘He was like: “Oh yeah mate, no stress. I get it”.’
Konstas, a fan favorite, provided a superb response to his omission and maybe was very telling of the younger star’s character.
When explaining the choice to drop the 19-year-old, Australia selector Tony Dodemaide revealed the eight-word response the Kogarah-born batsman gave him.
‘There’s quite a bit to love and be impressed about Sam,’ Dodemaide mentioned on Wednesday.
‘One of many issues is his capacity to take issues in his stride. It is outstanding actually, whether or not it is taking part in in entrance of 90,000 and Jasprit Bumrah on the MCG or getting instructed that you just’re disregarded of the Take a look at.
‘He was like: “Oh yeah mate, no stress. I get it”.’
On why Konstas had been dropped for the opening Take a look at towards Sri Lanka, the selector defined that Australia had been hoping to finish their 14-year look forward to a victory in Sri Lanka.
‘We haven’t received right here in 14 years and that’s some extent of satisfaction for everyone and likewise we maintain each bilateral sequence in the meanwhile and this group could be very pleased with that. So the start line was we’re right here to win the sequence,’ Dodemaide mentioned.
‘The best way we structured in India was very efficient with Travis on the high and that’s the place his worth is. That created a chance decrease down the order and Josh we felt has a really proactive sport, a really skilful batter in his personal proper.
Dodemaide claimed that Konstas had little expertise within the subcontinent and Australia have been eager to get this sequence off to begin
‘He’s additionally very busy, a disruptive participant, he’s obtained choices on each side of the wicket, notably towards spin, he’s performed quite a bit on the subcontinent as nicely, and we felt he deserved that chance.’
However provided that that is Konstas’ first tour to the subcontinent, the selectors claimed that it made extra sense to offer Head the chance to open towards Khawaja.
‘He hasn’t performed quite a bit on this a part of the world however he’ll study rapidly and the chance to have him right here… it’s an funding sooner or later to spend time round Smith, Khawaja, Labuschagne and see how they go about it right here.’
He added that Australian followers can anticipate to see extra of him over the subsequent few years.
‘We’re on the lookout for these successor gamers to return in, there might be some turnover naturally within the subsequent couple of years or so and he’s very a lot staked a declare.’
