Australia ropes in teenage sensation Konstas for Boxing Day Test

Drops rookie opener Nathan McSweeney for the final two Test matches of the Border-Gavaskar Trophy against India

Melbourne: Teenage sensation Sam Konstas was handed a maiden call up as Australia on Friday dropped rookie opener Nathan McSweeney for the final two Test matches of the Border-Gavaskar Trophy against India.

The 19-year-old is set to become Australia’s youngest Test batting debutant in over 70 years. Konstas’ inclusion follows a series of disappointing performances from the Australian top order in the first three Tests, especially McSweeney.

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The 25-year-old, who made his Test debut in the series-opener in Perth, failed to score a single half century and could manage scores 10, 0, 39, 10 not out , 9 and 4 in his six innings and was dismissed by Indian pace spearhead four times.

Konstas had been in the reckoning to partner Usman Khawaja after grabbing the attention of Cricket Australia’s selection committee following his twin Sheffield Shield centuries for New South Wales.

He had scored an unbeaten 73 at the MCG against India A while notching up a ton (107) in the Prime Ministers XI pink ball game against India in Canberra. “Sam gets a call up to the Test squad for the first time. His style of batting offers a point of difference and we look forward to watching his game develop further,” Australian Chair of Selectors George Bailey said.

“We remain confident Nathan has the ability and temperament to succeed at Test level in the future. It was a difficult decision to leave him out. “It has clearly been a challenge at the top of the order for batters throughout the series and we want to provide the option of a different line up for the next two matches,” he added.

If Konstas, who turned 19 on October 2, is selected in the playing XI in the Boxing Day Test, he would become Australia’s youngest Test debutant since captain Pat Cummins, who was 18 years and 193 days old when he made his debut against South Africa in Johannesburg in 2011.

Australia squad for 4th and 5th Test

Pat Cummins (c), Sean Abbott, Scott Boland, Alex Carey, Travis Head (vc), Josh Inglis, Usman Khawaja, Sam Konstas, Marnus Labuschagne, Nathan Lyon, Mitchell Marsh, Jhye Richardson, Steve Smith (vc), Mitchell Starc, Beau Webster.