The dangerous batter Travis Head is set to open in the two-match test series in Australia tour of Sri Lanka and Sam Konstas is likely to get more opportunities to showcase his skills alongside Head.
Head who had an impressive outing during the Border Gavaskar Trophy despite injury concerns, has been tested in the opener’s role in the sub-continent.
He had come in for an injured David Warner during the tour of India 2023 and scored 223 runs at 55.75 in five innings at the top of the order.
“Trav’s an option (to open). We’ve got a number of options and there’s been a few preliminary discussions around where that may land, and that may depend on the makeup of that first XI,” Bailey told cricket.com.au.
Australia’s chief selector George Bailey has suggested that Travis Head could again make the move to the top of the order in the subcontinent 👀
Read more: https://t.co/aauxmtgugo pic.twitter.com/Gc5NfZ3neq
— cricket.com.au (@cricketcomau) January 9, 2025
“I think (head coach) Andrew (McDonald,) and (stand-in captain) Steve (Smith) will settle on that in due course, once we hit Sri Lanka,” he added.
CA has announced a 16-member Australia Squad for the Sri Lanka tests which comprises several faces added to the group that played India in the fifth test where the hosts regained the Border Gavaskar Trophy 3-1.
Steve Smith has been named as captain with regular captain Pat Cummins is on leave for the birth of his second child.
Bailey said the youngster’s ability to read match situations quickly would help him propel in Sri Lanka.
“What we have seen is he’s (Konstas) a quick learner. (He) absorbs a lot of information,” Bailey said.
“So (we’re) expecting him to get to get a lot out of it. I know from his spin play in Australia, and the opportunities he’s (had) in different parts of the world, we think he’s got a game that’s well suited, and a technique that can stand up.
“But that’s one of the exciting things about this tour – we will learn a bit more about his game in different conditions to what he’s just faced in Australia,” he added.
Bailey also suggested that Nathan McSweeney will remain in the squad despite his poor run against Bumrah at BGT.
“We still view (McSweeney) as a great Test prospect, and a long-term Test prospect.
“I think at times when someone is left out of a team or squad, there’s a view that they fall out of favour, or down the pecking order, but that wasn’t the case with Nathan,” said Bailey.
“I think it shows the character… and the sort of person he is, the way he responded and spoke so well about (being dropped) publicly pretty soon after it happened.”
The first match of the Sri Lanka tests will begin on January 29 at Galle International Stadium.
