‘A softer landing’: Selectors warned on Konstas debut in India showdown

Former Test opener Chris Rogers believes Australia’s selectors risk damaging teenager Sam Konstas’ young career by prematurely throwing him into a five-Test showdown with India.

But Rogers’ former teammate and current Test paceman Josh Hazlewood believes that if you’re good enough, you are old enough, having himself debuted for Australia at 19.

Sam KonstasCredit: Getty Images

These two polar opposite viewpoints will be settled by selection chair George Bailey and his panel after the looming Australia A game against India A in Mackay, where Konstas, Marcus Harris and Nathan McSweeney will lead the battle for spots in the Test side for Perth next month.

A 13-man squad will be chosen with one spare bowler, meaning there will be two batting spots available in the squad and then one in the final XI.

Rogers, the coach of Victoria, is duty-bound to spruik for Harris, who at 32 has played 14 Tests and did not disgrace himself over five previous Tests against India.

But he also has plenty of first-hand experience of the brutal nature of four and five-match Test series, where seasoned cricketers work to break down the techniques and mental fortitude of their opponents over long hours in the field.

“I know there’s a lot of talk about Konstas,” Rogers told SEN Radio. “I would just ask the question is he going to help win us this series, and if he’s not, if we don’t think he’s going to make that much of a difference, I would just leave it for this summer just because going and facing India could set you back a little bit.

“And there’s no rush, he’s only 19, there’s going to be a big future for him. Maybe a softer landing. I know some people won’t agree with that, but I think to go up against India, you’ve got to be resilient, you’ve got to have things in order when it goes wrong, because they’re going to challenge you hard.

“I’d be looking for someone a little bit more established at the moment, and then in the future say we can look at something different.”

From what Hazlewood has seen in the nets, bowling to Konstas, he does not believe the newcomer’s tender age should count against him in the Test reckoning.

Chris Rogers brings up a century during his Test career.Credit: Pat Scala

The giant quick is qualified to comment. He made his international debut as a 19-year-old. Pat Cummins was also blooded as a teenager, and Mitchell Starc put on the green and gold for the first time as a 20-year-old.

“I don’t think anyone’s too young,” Hazlewood said. “A lot of the guys around here have played international cricket at quite a young age in different formats.

“I think for Test cricket if you need to throw him in there, people play at a young age from time to time, not all the time, I’m sure he’ll work it out if he gets thrown in there.”

As for Harris, Rogers put down his dual leg side dismissals by Mitchell Starc as unfortunate, and valued a day-one contribution that took vital shine off the new ball to enable Victoria to scrap their way to a match-winning first-innings tally.

“He’s moving as well as I’ve seen him,” Rogers said. “If you look at this game, he got caught down the leg side twice off Mitchell Starc. That can happen. Just from what I’ve seen he’s batted really well in round one, got a hundred. I think he’s batting really well.”

With India commencing their second Test against New Zealand after being bowled out for a home-record 46 in the first, Hazlewood did not expect that dramatic collapse in Bengaluru to hang around in the minds of Rohit Sharma and company.

“I don’t think so, they’re a pretty resilient group,” he said. “You saw in the second innings, they got 400. They’re blips in the radar for them. They don’t sit and think about it too long, they get on with business, they still threatened in that Test match to nearly win the game. Dangerous team.”

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