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"I don't like it" - Ricky Ponting not happy with Sam Konstas being dropped for first Sri Lanka Test
Follow UsThere was a slight chance of him playing in the middle-order but even that spot was given to debutant Josh Inglis
Former Australia captain Ricky Ponting is not happy with Sam Konstas being dropped for the first Test against Sri Lanka. The 19-year-old was left out of Australia’s playing 11, with Travis Head opening the innings alongside Usman Khawaja.
Konstas made an eventful debut against India during the 2024-25 Border-Gavaskar Trophy. The right-handed opener hit 113 runs across four innings at a strike rate of 81.88 and even went after the best pacer of the current generation, Jasprit Bumrah, in his first innings.
Despite impressing in his debut series, Konstas was dropped from the Australian team. There was a slight chance of him playing in the middle-order but even that spot was given to debutant Josh Inglis.
"I don't like it, to be honest. I just expected Konstas would play and would open the batting,” said Ponting on the Seven coverage.
"We have seen Travis Head open the batting in the subcontinent before and he did very well... no doubt he will get Australia off to a flyer.
"But I think there is a real missed opportunity for the Australians to get to learn a bit more about Sam Konstas.
"If he is the player we all think he is, I would have loved to have seen him work out a way to play spin in tough conditions in Sri Lanka over the next couple of weeks."
Head's move to the top paid dividends for Australia as the left-hander hammered 57 off 40 deliveries to give his team a fiery start. Australia’s opening pair put on 92 runs in 14.3 overs in the first session of day one of the opening Test on January 29 (Wednesday).