Konstas leaves Sri Lanka early as Aussies prepare for second Test change-up

Rising Australian star Sam Konstas has left Sri Lanka early after he was left out of earning a place in the team for the second Test.

Australia expects a more traditional Galle pitch for the second and final Test in Sri Lanka, after taking full advantage of conditions to dominate the series opener.

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And it’s likely to be Travis Head’s last hitout for a while at the top of the order, with the new Allan Border Medallist expecting Sam Konstas to reclaim his place for the World Test Championship final at Lord’s against South Africa.

It won’t be any sooner, with The Age reporting on Tuesday night Konstas was flying home to play in the next round of Sheffield Shield cricket rather than staying as part of the broader squad.

Following the main training session, Konstas returned to the hotel to being packing for his flight home to Sydney after he missed out on being considered for the second Test, according to The Age.

Konstas is on his way home to play in the Sheffield Shield. (Photo by Ishara S. KODIKARA / AFP)

Konstas was brought to Sri Lanka after his heroics to help the Aussies clinch the Border-Gavaskar Trophy in Melbourne and Sydney, but did not feature in the opening Test, which Australia won by an innings and 242 runs.

Instead Head rose up from the middle order and debutant Josh Inglis scored a century on debut, with Konstas’ treatment sparking much debate.

The 19-year-old was battling illness for much of the first Test and was involved in a centre wicket net session on Tuesday, but then returned to the team hotel to pack for his return to Sydney. He was not being considered for the second Test XI.

“That’s the plan. Hopefully, I can be back for the first game (NSW vs Queensland on Saturday),” Konstas told The Age.

“It’s been a huge honour being in the squad and learning from the likes of Travis Head, Steve Smith, Usman Khawaja, the way they go about it. And obviously having experience in the Asian continent in Dubai.

“It’s been about understanding what works in these conditions, and hopefully I can emulate that after I get back to Sydney. Understanding your strengths and trying to do it for as long as possible in these conditions.”

Sam Konstas of Australia bats during an Australia nets session at Galle International Stadium on February 04, 2025 in Galle, Sri Lanka. (Photo by Robert Cianflone/Getty Images)

He added: “I totally understood the decision (not to play in the first Test), Travis Head’s a legend of the game and he’s been dominating in these conditions up top.

“So for me it was trying to get exposure to Dubai, Sri Lanka, try to learn and I feel like I learned quite a bit about things if I do play in the subcontinent. That’s basically it.”

Ollie Peake, the 18-year-old who joined the tour as a development player, is also heading home.

Code Sports noted Marnus Labuschagne faced back-up pacers Scott Boland and Sean Abbott on Tuesday rather than the spinners in the nets like the other incumbent batters, with Cooper Connolly taking a larger role in the session, though Labuschagne is expected to hold his spot.

“Most likely I’ll go back into the middle order (for the World Test Championship) and Sam would open, but I’m glad I’m not a selector,” Head told reporters on Tuesday in Galle.

“Josh has had an amazing start, guys are playing well, Greeny’s (Cameron Green) going to be fit. So it’s going to be hard to fit in and I think that’s what we want.

“We want an Australian cricket team that’s tough to get in, where everyone’s pushing for spots. That’s where the pressure comes, trying to hold your spot every Test knowing there’s people behind you.

“So we’re in a strong position. It’s better having seven or eight batters talked about than three or four.”

He added: “It was not by design to go out and score as quickly as I did.

“It was the same mindset: if they present an opportunity to score, I want to score.”

Konstas hasn’t been needed in Sri Lanka. (Photo by Robert Cianflone/Getty Images)

Asked whether he is likely to open in Test matches away from the subcontinent, when conditions would favour pace, Head explained: “That’s probably unlikely with where we’ve gone.

“I’ve had conversations with Ron (coach Andrew McDonald), Pat (Cummins), they know where I stand that I’ll do anything they require. But I’m in the position they want me to be in.

“As long as I keep being consistent in that position and trying to do as well as I can, that’s great, but it’s probably unlikely that I would (open) in Australia with where we’ve been in the last two years. It feels like the middle order is the spot in Australia for me.”

Head took full advantage of a less dry Galle pitch in the series opener, leading the Aussies into a dominant position before it tried out and was more favourable for spinners from day three.

With much warmer conditions the pitch has been “baking” and it’s expected to be a more traditional spin-friendly surface when play begins on Thursday.

“You could play on it right now and you’d be happy. You’ve got to take it for face value, look at it again tomorrow and then the next morning,” Head said.

“We’ve still got two days so I guess anything could play out in these conditions. The sun’s out now, so it’s baking at the moment.

“It looks like it will spin earlier but it looks at the moment like the first couple of days will be good for batting and then it will spin. Like we’ve said previously in the last couple of weeks, it’s just being able to adapt (to) that moment, that shift.

“What we’ve seen in the first Test was probably that day three moment where it shifted to heavy spin and we were able to capture the moments. It’s whether we can weigh up when that shift comes and be able to be ready and adapt to that. It looks like it’ll take spin early.”

Originally published as Konstas leaves Sri Lanka early as Aussies prepare for second Test change-up