Former captain Ricky Ponting has criticised Australia's decision to drop opener Sam Konstas for the first Test against Sri Lanka.
Yesterday, Australian captain Steve Smith had confirmed that Travis Head would open the batting, but it was not until the morning of the Test that there was confirmation of Sam Konstas being the player to make way at the top.
There had been a chance that Konstas, who made an explosive debut against India and Jasprit Bumrah last month, would slot in to the middle-order, but Australia opted to hand a debut to Josh Inglis, with Konstas dropping out of the side.
With a spot in the World Test Championship final already sealed, Australia have little to lose from this series – perhaps providing the perfect platform for Konstas to work on his game against some high-quality spin bowling, something he did struggle with a touch during the Border-Gavaskar Trophy.
Ponting: I don't like it, to be honest
Former Australian skipper Ricky Ponting was not happy with the decision. Speaking on Channel Seven, Ponting said, "I don't like it, to be honest. I just expected that Konstas would play and would open the batting. We have seen Travis Head open the batting in the subcontinent before and he did very well.
"No doubt he will look to get Australia off to a flyer and almost bat like he would in one-day mode, but I think there is a real missed opportunity for the Australians here to get to learn a bit more about Sam Konstas. If he is the player we all think he is, I would have loved to have seen him work out a way to play spin in tough conditions in Sri Lanka over the next couple of weeks."
Australian selector explains Konstas axing
Australian selector on duty Tony Dodemaide explained the decision to drop Konstas, praising the youngster's attitude towards the decision: "He's a hugely talented player, hasn't played a lot in this part of the world but he'll learn quickly obviously.
"The opportunity to have him here, not to say that Test two is out of the question obviously depending on what happens here, but the opportunity to give Nathan McSweeney, Cooper Connolly and even now Ollie Peake [on the tour as a development player] is an investment in the future.
"There's a lot to like and be impressed about Sam. One of the things is his ability to take things in his stride. It's remarkable really, whether it's playing in front of 90,000 and Jasprit Bumrah at the MCG or getting told that you're left out of the Test.
"He was like, 'Oh yeah mate, no stress. I get it'."
As it happened, Head made a blistering start in the first innings, taking on the bowling to score a 35-ball fifty, eventually dismissed for 57 off 40 balls. By lunch on day one, Australia had reached 145-2, with Usman Khawaja also making a half-century.
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