Australia has made a notable change to their lineup for the final two Tests of the Border-Gavaskar Trophy. On Friday, December 20, 19-year-old Sam Konstas was named as a replacement for Nathan McSweeney. This decision follows Konstas' stellar form, including twin centuries in the Sheffield Shield for New South Wales against South Australia and another impressive hundred during a two-day practice match against India in Canberra.
Cricket Australia's Chief Selector, George Bailey, explained: "You can say the way our top three are playing has been reasonably similar and we'd like the ability to throw something different at India off the back of that. If you look more broadly, I don't necessarily think the top six has quite functioned to the level that we need in this series as a whole."
"Think Sam's method, his style, is different to Nathan's, different again to Beau's and Josh's as the other batting options within that team, and we think they provide the options of a different look and a different make-up for the XI come Boxing Day", added Bailey.
Despite McSweeney's exclusion, Bailey expressed confidence in the South Australian batter's potential: "Nathan was disappointed and really the message to him was, much the same as at the start of the series, that we believe, and that hasn't changed, that he has the ability and temperament to succeed at Test level but just given the way the series has played out, we want the option of throwing something different at India for this next Test."
Bailey stated that McSweeney was chosen for his strong performances leading up to the series but admitted that the results hadn't matched expectations.
"In the lead-up to the series, he was performing incredibly well. Think the key around that was his methodology and the way he plays, we believe doesn't change to much wherever he's coming in. It hasn't quite worked out as you'd like it to do at the start, but it's still very much the start of his career."
Australia's batting struggles have been evident throughout the series, with none of their top-order players crossing the 100-run mark so far. Marnus Labuschagne has the highest tally of 82 runs, with 64 of those coming in a single innings in Adelaide. Usman Khawaja, another senior batter, has managed only 63 runs and has struggled against Bumrah’s bowling. Bailey clarified that Khawaja’s place in the squad was never in question, valuing his experience and the balance a left-hander brings at the top of the order.
Looking ahead, Bailey expressed hope that Konstas would seize the opportunity and deliver a standout performance, which could boost both his confidence and the team's success. He highlighted the importance of combining individual excellence with team progress to allow players the space to develop and adapt at the highest level.
As Australia gears up for the final matches, the inclusion of the young and promising Konstas adds an intriguing twist to their strategy against a dominant Indian side.