Fresh Pressure on Konstas to Exit Test Squad Amid Aussie Snub

We’re not a great Australian team yet | 00:46

Australian legend Ian Healy is the latest high-profile name calling for Sam Konstas to return home from Sri Lanka so he can get some crucial Sheffield Shield matches under his belt before the World Test Championship later this year.

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Konstas burst onto the scene with an electrifying take-down of Jasprit Bumrah on debut a few weeks ago, but the 19-year-old lost his spot in the Test side to Josh Inglis, with Travis Head promoted to the top of the order for the first match against Sri Lanka.

Australia trounced the hosts in Galle and is unlikely to make any changes for the second Test starting on Thursday, with calls now for Konstas to return to Australia where he can play for NSW.

Former wicketkeeper Brad Haddin said Konstas would have learnt plenty during the tour and it was time for him to come home, with the Blues set to play four more Shield matches this season, with the first against Queensland starting on Saturday.

Healy agreed that red-ball matches at home would be far more useful for the youngster given he’s likely to be in the side for the game against South Africa in June.

“You don’t just give opportunities in a Test team, so they’ll be keeping the same team as long as everyone’s fit,” Healy told SENQ Breakfast.

“Australia will have the same team, and I like the idea (of sending Konstas home to play Shield cricket).

“He’s had a week in Dubai, he’s had a week or more training in Sri Lanka, watching a Test match and being around the dressing room and seeing how blokes are approaching each session.

Konstas has learnt plenty during the tour of Sri Lanka. Picture: Robert Cianflone/Getty ImagesSource: Getty Images

“If you’re not going to play him, he might as well be back playing for NSW and getting more red-ball practice because they’re going to use him in the World Test Championship.

“He’ll come back to be the opening batsman against South Africa, so he’s got to get some red-ball cricket under his belt.”

Healy said the past few weeks would have been a great learning opportunity for Konstas, who has seen what it takes to succeed in foreign conditions.

“He would get stuff out of it,” Healy said.

“Even just to see the grind of Steve Smith and Usman Khawaja, how he went out again and approached it right from ball one on the fifth session that he’d batted, it’s those types of things.

“He would have listened to the strategies and participated in the strategies, so he would have learned.”