New Delhi: Australia has named Travis Head as Usman Khawaja’s opening partner for the first Test against Sri Lanka in Galle. In their previous Test series against India at home, Khawaja was paired with Nathan McSweeney and later Sam Konstas. However, for the subcontinent tour, Australia is returning to a successful opening combination they used during their 2023 India tour, while also sticking to their flexible approach to the batting order in Test cricket.
Steve Smith spoke about the decision, praising Head’s performance against the new ball in India. “He (Head) did really well in India, putting spinners under pressure right away, and we know how well he plays seam as well,” said Smith ahead of the match. “It’s going to be fun watching him.”
Despite naming Head as the opener, Smith refrained from confirming the full playing XI, opting to assess the conditions before making any final decisions. “We’ll see what the conditions are like, probably on the morning of the game, and then go from there. Things can change quickly in this part of the world, especially with the weather, so we’ll take another look at the pitch before naming the team at the toss,” Smith added.
This means that young Sam Konstas, who impressed early in his career, could potentially miss out on the playing XI. However, Smith sees the value in keeping him around for the experience. “Even if he doesn’t play, it’s great practice for his development. I remember back in 2013 when I didn’t play the first few Tests, the amount of time I spent hitting balls in the nets really helped me grow as a player. So, regardless of whether he plays, this will be an invaluable experience for him,” said Smith.
Smith also confirmed that he had fully recovered from the elbow injury he sustained while playing in the Big Bash League, which had raised concerns before the tour. “Fortunately, it was mainly muscle, and it settled down quickly. I’m batting without tape now,” he said.
In addition, Smith confirmed that left-arm spinner Matthew Kuhnemann, another injury concern, has passed his fitness tests. “The surgeon has done an incredible job with him,” said Smith. “We’re amazed at how well he’s been able to field and do the things he’s been doing the past couple of days. Either he’s an incredible actor or he has an amazing pain threshold. He’s passed all the fitness tests and is good to go.”
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