Australia have dropped Nathan McSweeney and called up
19-year-old opener Sam Konstas to replace him for the final two Tests against
India.
New South Wales' Konstas is in line to become Australia
men's youngest Test batting debutant since Ian Craig in 1953.
McSweeney was preferred to Konstas at the start of the
series but he managed only 72 runs across six innings at an average of 14.40.
Australia's chief selector George Bailey said Konstas'
selection offers the chance to "throw something different" at India's
bowling attack.
"I think Sam's method and style is different to
Nathan's, should we go down that path," he said.
Earlier this season Konstas scored two centuries against
South Australia in the Sheffield Shield, becoming the youngest player to do so
since Ricky Ponting in 1993.
Should the right-hander be picked, he would become
Australia's youngest Test debutant since current skipper Pat Cummins, who was
18 years and 193 days when he played against South Africa in 2011.
Seamer Jhye Richardson, who last played a Test in the
2021-22 Ashes, has also been recalled with Josh Hazlewood out injured.
Fellow quick Sean Abbott and all-rounder Beau Webster, both
uncapped at Test level, have been retained in the squad, having been called up
previously in the series but not selected in the XI.
Usman Khawaja and Marnus Labuschagne, who, like McSweeney,
have struggled at the top of the order, have retained their places in the
squad.
The Boxing Day Test in Melbourne starts at 23:30 GMT on 25
December with the series tied at 1-1.
There will be ball-by-ball commentary on OceanNewsUK website and app, where video highlights
will also be available (all UK users only).
Australia squad for final two Tests v India: Pat
Cummins (captain), Travis Head, Steve Smith, Sean Abbott, Scott Boland, Alex
Carey, Josh Inglis, Usman Khawaja, Sam Konstas, Marnus Labuschagne, Nathan
Lyon, Mitchell Marsh, Jhye Richardson, Mitchell Starc, Beau Webster
Who is Sam Konstas?
Konstas made his debut for New South Wales in 2023, less
than two months after his 18th birthday, but has played only 11 first-class
matches.
Part of the Australia team that won the Under-19 World Cup
earlier this year, his breakthrough came with the twin centuries against South
Australia in October when he followed a first-innings 152 - his first
first-class hundred - with 105 in the second innings.
He has scored 471 runs at 58.87 in five matches in the
Sheffield Shield this season and made a timely, 20-ball fifty for Sydney
Thunder on his Big Bash debut on Tuesday, in doing so becoming the youngest man
to score a fifty in the competition.
He also played for Prime Ministers XI against the India
squad in a tour match between the first and second Tests and scored 107 from 97
balls against an attack featuring most of India's Test line-up.
He will still play in the Big Bash against Sydney Sixers on
Saturday before joining up with the Test squad.
