Aussie cricket great blasts decision to drop Sam Konstas from Sri Lanka series opener – as selectors open up on why the 19-year-old was omitted

Ricky Pointing has wondered why the Australia selectors have chosen to leave the rising young star Sam Konstas away from the opening test on the side against Sri Lanka in Galle.

Australia started a good start in the first innings on Wednesday, with Steve Smith and Usman Khawaja both hammering their way to a few centuries to bring a score of 330-2 at the end of the game in the day one.

Konstas, who played the leading role on his debut in the Boxing Day test last month, had fallen completely off the side, with the body bosses of Baggy Greens chose to move Travis to go on the order to go next to Khawaja open.

Head would eventually be rejected by Pabath Jayasuriya after he had been caught for 57 points on the Dineh Chandimal for a long time.

Australia chose to make various changes to their line-up after their last game of the Border Gavaskar series, in which Josh Inglis came in particular for his test debut.

But Ponting believes it was a mistake to leave the 19-year-old Konstas outside the team.

Ricky Ponting has the decision to drop Sam Konstas from the opening test of Australia against Sri Lanka in Galle on Wednesday

The Cricket Great claimed that he did not like the decision and expected the 19-year-old to open the batting

The Cricket Great claimed that he did not like the decision and expected the 19-year-old to open the batting

Konstas enjoyed an excellent debut in the MCG during the Border Gavaskar series and hit 60 points in his first innings

Konstas enjoyed an excellent debut in the MCG during the Border Gavaskar series and hit 60 points in his first innings

“I don’t like being honest,” said the former Flaggy Greens Captain Channel 7 during the game.

“I just expected Konstas to play and open the batting.”

During the summer series against India, Konstas got out to touch 60 at the MCG in the first innings of the Boxing Day test, before scored 25 points a week later in Australia’s victory over the SCG.

His personality and fearless stroke style attracted the attention of many experts and cricket fans around the world, with the 19-year-old during the series also particularly clashed with India Great Virat Kohli.

Ponting, however, is of the opinion that this would have been a great opportunity for Australia to learn more about the New South Wales-Boslier, who split his way to half a century in the recent Big Bash victory of the Sydney Thunder against the Perth Scorchers.

“We have seen Travis de Batting in the subcontinent earlier and he did very well … He will undoubtedly get Australia to a flyer,” said Ponting.

‘But I think there is a real missed opportunity for the Australians to learn more about Sam Konstas.

“If he is the player that we all think is, I would have liked him to work a way in the coming weeks to play spider in difficult circumstances in Sri Lanka.”

Konstas was in the nets in Sri Lanka this week with selectors who choose to have him acclimatize to the circumstances in the subcontinent instead of choosing him to play in the first test

Konstas was in the nets in Sri Lanka this week with selectors who choose to have him acclimatize to the circumstances in the subcontinent instead of choosing him to play in the first test

Konstas also did not give a brilliant response to this week, with Tony Dodemide: 'He was like: "Oh yes size, no stress. I get it". '

Konstas also did not give a brilliant response to this week, with Tony Dodemide and said: “He said:” Oh yes, no stress. I get it. “

Konstas, a favorite with fans, offered a brilliant response to his omission and perhaps was very told about the character of the young star.

When explaining the decision to drop the 19-year-old, the Australian selector Tony Dodemide revealed the eight-word response that Batsman, born in Kogarah, gave him.

“There is a lot to be found and impressed by Sam,” Dodemide said Wednesday.

“One of the things is his ability to take things in his pass. It is really remarkable, whether it will be going on for 90,000 and Jasprit Bumrah at the MCG or is told that you have been left outside the test.

“He said,” Oh yes, no stress. I get it. “

About why Konstas was dropped for the opening test against Sri Lanka, the selector explained that Australia had hoped to end their 14-year-old waiting for a victory in Sri Lanka.

‘We have not won here in 14 years and that is a point of pride for everyone and we also keep every bilateral series at the moment and this group is very proud of that. So the starting point was that we are here to win the series, “said Dodemide.

‘The way we are structured in India was very effective with Travis at the top and that is true. That created a chance lower in the order and Josh we found has a very proactive game, a very competent seizure in itself.

Dodemaide claimed that Konstas had little experience in the subcontinent and Australia wanted to start this series well

Dodemaide claimed that Konstas had little experience in the subcontinent and Australia wanted to start this series well

“He is also very busy, a disturbing player, he has options on both sides of the wicket, especially against spider, he also played a lot on the subcontinent, and we thought he deserved that chance.”

But given that this is the first tour of Konstas to the subcontinent, the selectors claimed that it was more logical to give the head the chance to open against Khawaja.

‘He didn’t play much in this part of the world, but he will learn quickly and the chance to have him here … It is an investment in the future to spend time around Smith, Khawaja, Labuschagne and see How they are about this here. ‘

He added that Australian fans can expect more from him in the coming years.

“We are looking for those successor players to come in, there will be a naturally turnover in the coming years or something and he is very much a claim.”