It would be a backward step if Australia leave Sam Konstas out of the team for the first Test against Sri Lanka on Wednesday in Galle.
Leave Travis Head where he is in the middle order, and let him sort out his game when starting against spin for future subcontinent tours, and back the teenager to make a good fist of opening next to Usman Khawaja.
That way he can continue to learn how to play Test cricket with Uzzy leading into the World Test Championship final, then the West Indies and the Ashes.
And also he can have a few innings under his belt in the subcontinent looking ahead to the next two of India in a couple of years time with this being the Aussies’ last trip to that part of the world for Tests until the next Border-Gavaskar Trophy series.
With the way Konstas played against and the fact that we’re looking for two long-term openers in the next 12 months, it would be the wrong call to not give him a run.
Konstas played spin well in home conditions but he is probably never going to experience spin like he’s going to be facing in Galle.
He can get the Aussies off to a flyer and as we saw in Melbourne, that helps Uzzy settle into his rhythm.
Head’s been sensational at No.5 and we know he can handle the opening role in the subcontinent from what we saw a couple of years ago in India but it seems odd to me to be chopping and changing your openers depending on where you’re playing.
I’d prefer to see Heady get another three or four innings of adapting his game to coming in against spin at both ends in the middle order.
Let’s keep Konstas at the top while he’s confident and fearless with the knowledge that Heady’s there if we need him but the main goal should be getting a couple of Tests into our new opener so hopefully he can bed down his spot.
Khawaja needs runs after a bit of a lean trot but he can turn it around. He used to have a reputation as someone who’d struggle in the subcontinent but on his last couple of tours, he’s been really good.
As for the rest of the team, I think they stick with Beau Webster after his strong start in Sydney and with Pat Cummins out, Mitchell Starc gets the nod as the only quick with poor old Scott Boland missing out.
(Photo by Buddhika Weerasinghe/Getty Images)
It’s great to hear Matt Kuhnemann is fit after his broken thumb recently because left-arm finger spinners seem to take wickets for fun over there and then we’ve got Todd Murphy coming in to back up Nathan Lyon and he’s a different kind of off-spinner so there’s no dramas there having two bowlers of the same style.
Kuhnemann and Murphy were impressive in India on debut and then you’ve got Webster to bowl some offies as well if needed and Heady is yet another option.
It’s not going to be easy for the Aussies. The Sri Lankans are not a great side but when they’re playing in their home conditions they can knock off anyone in the world.
They defeated New Zealand 2-0 in a series a few months back before the Black Caps then went on to whitewash India over three matches.
Some of the records for these Sri Lankan guys are insane.
Their main left-arm spinner, Prabath Jayasuriya, has taken 81 wickets in 10 Tests on home soil, including 71 in eight matches at Galle, averaging 21.78.
Ramesh Mendis, their offie, has picked up 62 wickets in 11 Tests at 25.72, striking every eight overs.
So the Aussie batters are going to be facing high-quality spin in conditions that suit the bowlers.
And then you look at their batting and opener Dimuth Karunaratne averages over 50 at home, Dinesh Chandimal scores at 57.66 in Galle and Kamindu Mendis has been one of the form batters in world cricket with 1049 runs at nearly 75 in 2024.
Australia split the series 1-1 a few years back after Sri Lanka came back hard in the second Test.
The Aussie middle order needs to stand up too. Can Head come out of this series as a player that plays spin well from the middle order?
How does Webster play spin and if he doesn’t go well first up do you bring Cooper Connolly in for the second Test? A leftie batter who bowls left-arm orthodox as well.
Starc is going to have an important role to play as the only seamer. His record in India and Sri Lanka are phenomenal because he has that ability to bowl fast but also swing the new ball and the old ball.
He is equally effective if he comes over or around the wicket so it’s a massive credit to to Starc that he can do well in the subcontinent when it can be a graveyard to overseas fast bowlers.
He’s got 29 wickets at 18 in Sri Lanka – that’s just nuts. So even though it’s hard to leave Scott Boland out after the way he performed at home against India, it’s a no-brainer that Starc gets the spot.
With Cummins at home I would have been happy to see Head get a chance at captain but Steve Smith is a very experienced leader who will rely on his senior players a lot.
Things can go out of control very quickly in the subcontinent and especially when you’re batting, you have got to make sure you’re not rushed.
Even back when I was playing, Sri Lankan spinners were known for rushing you with their deliveries. You look up and they’re just about to bowl the ball, you’ve got fielders all around the bat and it can feel like you’re suffocating.
So the batters need to make sure they don’t change their pre-ball routines. Go for a walk if you need to, hold the bowler up because once you start losing wickets on a turner, it’s never easy to get in and you can collapse quickly.
I’m looking forward to the series. Anyone who thinks the Aussies can waltz in and still win if they’re not playing at their best is in for a rude shock.
