Australia selector Tony Dodemaide has praised Sam Konstas for his calm response after being dropped for the first Test against Sri Lanka. Despite his early success, Konstas was left out of the lineup for the opening Test in Galle.
Konstas, 19, impressed with his aggressive batting in his first two Tests, including a memorable half-century against Jasprit Bumrah at the MCG and a crucial role in the SCG run chase against India. However, Travis Head’s form as an opener during Australia’s 2023 subcontinent tour led to the decision to drop Konstas for this series.
Dodemaide was impressed by Konstas’ maturity, saying, “He was like, ‘Oh yeah mate, no stress. I get it,’” when he was told he would not play in the first Test. This showed his ability to accept tough decisions with grace.
While Dodemaide didn’t guarantee Konstas would return for the Ashes, he emphasized that Konstas remains part of Australia’s future plans. "He’s very much staked a claim," Dodemaide said, noting the need for younger players to step up as the older players retire.
Although Konstas was dropped, Dodemaide didn’t rule out him playing in the second Test against Sri Lanka. The selectors are also giving opportunities to other young players like Nathan McSweeney, Cooper Connolly, and Ollie Peake.
The decision to drop Konstas has faced criticism from former Australian cricketer Ricky Ponting, who believed it was a missed chance to help Konstas improve against spin in Sri Lanka’s challenging conditions.
Despite this, Dodemaide stressed that Australia’s priority is to win the Sri Lanka series, even though they have already qualified for the World Test Championship final.