Australia’s top-order conundrum exposed in major squad shake-up for tour of Sri Lanka

Australia has ushered in a new generation with its Sri Lanka touring squad - and with it comes a battle at the top of the order, with teen sensation Sam Konstas no guarantee to hold his spot.

Australian selection chair George Bailey has backed Sam Konstas to succeed in subcontinental conditions but stopped short of guaranteeing the teenager will hold his spot for the first Test against Sri Lanka in Galle beginning later this month.

Bailey has also earmarked Cooper Connolly as a middle-order prospect after the 21-year-old West Australian bolted into his maiden Test squad.

Connolly is one of three uncapped players in the 16-man squad, alongside depth paceman Sean Abbott and backup wicketkeeper/batter Josh Inglis.

Mitch Marsh’s demotion continued with the all-rounder dumped from the squad after being dropped for the fifth Test against India, while experienced trio Peter Handscomb, Glenn Maxwell and Adam Zampa all missed out as well.

TEST SQUAD ANALYSIS

CRASH: GENERATION NOW? AUSTRALIA’S RAPID SQUAD REFRESH

WHO IS COOPER CONNOLLY: ROOKIE GETS MAIDEN TEST CALL-UP

Having made a stunning albeit far from flawless entrance into Test cricket across the last two Tests against India, 19-year-old Konstas has been picked for his first senior overseas tour.

Selectors Bailey, Tony Dodemaide and coach Andrew McDonald must determine whether Konstas should hold his spot at the top of the order or shuffle down the order or even out of the side to make way for Travis Head, who succeeded as an opener in India two years ago.

Bailey confirmed Head remained “an option” to bat at the top of the order, however the decision not to pick Handscomb appears to pave the way for Head to stay in the middle - where he bats in seam-friendly conditions - and leave Konstas at the top alongside Usman Khawaja.

Teen sensation Sam Konstas (R) and Travis Head (L) are both options at the top of the order this tour. Picture: Michael Klein

The recalled Nathan McSweeney would in turn become a backup batter alongside Inglis.

The selection chief conceded that there remained a degree of doubt as to whether Konstas could deal with what are widely expected to be slow, low, turning wickets at Galle - where both Tests will be held - but that the NSW young gun’s rapid rise pointed to a cricketer who could adapt on the run.

“I guess the truth is you never ever really know until someone’s faced with them (those conditions). But I guess what we have seen is he’s a quick learner. Absorbs a lot of information,” Bailey said.

“So (we’re) expecting him to get to get a lot out of it. From his spin play in Australia and the opportunity he’s had to play different parts of the world, we think he’s got a game that’s well-suited and a technique that can stand up.

“But again, that’s that’s one of the exciting things about this tour, we will learn a bit more about his game in different conditions.”

Cooper Connolly’s versatility, with bat and ball, helped him at the selection table. Picture: AFP

Connolly, with just four first-class matches to his name, shapes as more of an outsider to play from the start of the series, however Bailey said the left-arm tweaker, also a capable batter, had a bright future.

“There’s lots to like. I think technically, we like (his game). Temperament, we like, character we like and clearly, skillset there’s a lot to like there as well.

“He’s someone that we’ve had our eye on for a period of time. There’s lots of work to go, and this will be a really a big challenge for him.”

Glenn Maxwell’s dream of a Test comeback appears over. Picture: Getty

Bailey rejected the idea that selectors had erred on the side of youth because the team had already qualified for June’s World Test Championship final against South Africa.

Connolly was vying for a spot with Maxwell - whose Test career now looks over at 36 - while McSweeney, 25, was preferred to Handscomb, 33, despite the latter having a solid record in Asia and remaining on standby for the series.

“I know there’s been a lot of speculation around that, but we view every Test tour and Test matches as being really important. So I think for us, it was more around structuring up two or three different ways of what we thought the first XI may look like, and clearly not being on the ground and getting an eye on conditions, you’ve got to leave a few options there. But I think once we were sort of clear on the direction or directions we thought that first XI may take, then the squad sort of took shape out of that.”

Nathan McSweeney returns to the Australian Test squad after being dumped midway through the India series. Picture: Getty

CONFIRMED: SELECTORS BLOOD NEW STARS IN MAJOR SQUAD SHAKE-UP

Glenn Maxwell’s dream of a Test return is all but over after the veteran all-rounder missed out on a recall for the series in Sri Lanka beginning later this month.

There is bad news too for Peter Handscomb, Mitch Marsh and Adam Zampa, all of whom have missed out.

As already revealed, 21-year-old West Australian spinning all-rounder Cooper Connolly has been named for his first Test tour, while Nathan McSweeney is back after being dropped ahead of the Boxing Day Test.

Josh Hazlewood will miss the tour as he continues tio recover from the calf injury that ended his Border-Gavaskar Trophy campaign, but Josh Inglis has been given the green light after overcoming his own calf concern.

Sam Konstas has kept his place in the squad although doubt remains about whether he will squeeze into the XI for the first Test in Galle, beginning on January 29.

Handscomb had firmed for the squad after spending time with the Australian group in Sydney last week but has missed out with McSweeney and Inglis preferred as batting depth.

Sean Abbott is the other player without Test experience in the squad.

Marsh has missed out after losing his place to Beau Webster for the Sydney Test.

Peter Handscomb has missed out on a Test recall, with selectors favouring youth. Picture: AAP

White-ball specialists Maxwell and Zampa had both pushed to make the tour but have been pipped. Connolly has been favoured over Maxwell, while Matt Kuhnemann and Todd Murphy join Nathan Lyon as specialist spinners in front of Zampa.

Steve Smith will captain the Aussies in the absence of Pat Cummins, who is staying home for the birth of his second child and also nursing an ankle issue.

Travis Head will be vice-captain.

“Sri Lanka is a challenging and exciting place to tour given the different conditions the players may experience,” selection chair George Bailey said.

This squad provides several ways to structure the XI depending on what type of wickets they may encounter in each match.

“We are excited about the opportunity ahead for the squad members who are at the start of their Test careers to continue to grow their games in subcontinent conditions where we have a number of important tours in coming years.”

Mitchell Marsh has also missed selection after being dropped for the SGG Test. Picture: AFP

EARLIER: YOUNG GUN RECEIVES MAIDEN TEST CALL-UP

West Australian young gun Cooper Connolly has received his maiden Test call-up, with the left-arm spinning all-rounder set to be named in the squad for Sri Lanka unveiled on Thursday at 12pm AEDT.

He will join the returning Nathan McSweeney as well as finger-spinners Todd Murphy and Matt Kuhnemann.

Connolly, 21, has played just four first-class matches but has starred for the Perth Scorchers this summer and has played a handful of white-ball internationals for Australia after being called up for the tour of the UK last year.

Cooper Connolly is set to be named in Australia’s Test squad against Sri Lanka. Picture: Steve Bell/Getty Images

On Wednesday, this masthead confirmed the return of Nathan McSweeney to the group after he was dropped midway through the Border-Gavaskar series.

Sean Abbott is also in the frame for a long-awaited Test debut as he joins the fast bowling cartel for the Sri Lankan squad led by Mitchell Starc and Scott Boland.

Abbott’s lower order batting gives him an extra dimension at the selection table.

Glenn Maxwell appears increasingly likely to miss the cut, with former Australian captain Ricky Ponting saying on Channel 7 on Wednesday night that it would be a retrograde move to pick the 36-year-old Victorian.

Glenn Maxwell’s Test hopes look slim. Picture: Mike Owen/Getty Images

“I really can’t see how he can (be selected),” Ponting said. “This is nothing against Glenn. He has been a fantastic international player for a long time. But I think it is going to be backwards step for the Australian Test team if they go back to Glenn Maxwell for a one-off tour.

“I think they will be better off bringing in some youngsters in and around the group and give them what a taste of it is like. Sometimes going on one of the hardest tours will be, as youngster, will be the quickest way to learn.”

Steve Smith looks set to return to the captaincy, with Pat Cummins expected to miss the tour for the birth of his second child.

Having played a bit part role in the home summer, Nathan Lyon is expected to shoulder a much heavier workload in Sri Lanka. Fingerspinners Kuhnemann and Murphy will both join him in the squad, with no specialist wristspinner expected.

Originally published as Australia’s top-order conundrum exposed in major squad shake-up for tour of Sri Lanka