Australia’s playing XI for the Boxing Day Test in Melbourne has been revealed, and 19-year-old batsman Sam Konstas will make his international debut in the match. Nathan McSweeney, who was left out of the squad for the rest of the Border-Gavaskar Trophy 2024–25, was replaced by the youthful batter.
Playing for the Prime Minister’s XI, Sam Konstas made a huge impression in the warm-up match prior to the second Test in Adelaide, scoring an amazing 107 runs from just 97 deliveries. The Australian selectors chose him for the last two Test matches because of his excellent first-class record.
Many positive things have been said about Sam Konstas by professionals, and three-time world champion Ricky Ponting has shared his thoughts on the young teen.
The way he performed in the PM’s XI game and the way he handled his first BBL game the other night are two examples of how talented he is, and I’ve seen a lot of it. While speaking on The ICC Review, Ponting stated, “I know it’s different formats, but you can see that the talent is there and that there’s also a bit of an attitude to go with it, and not a bad attitude, (but) an attitude that the guy knows he’s good and wants to show the world that he’s good.”
“That still presents a problem. The match is a Test. You’re playing your first Test match. Some of the world’s top bowlers are your opponents. In world cricket at the moment, it probably doesn’t get any larger. When Mitchell Starc, Pat Cummins, and Josh Hazlewood are present, it’s similar to any other nation introducing an opening batter against our bowling attack, Ponting continued.
Speaking about the game, the Australians will face a strong Indian attack at the storied Melbourne Cricket Ground (MCG) when the Boxing Day Test begins on December 26. According to reports from the Times of India, India is expected to drop Shubman Gill, Rohit Sharma will return to his typical opening position, and star batsman KL Rahul will bat at number three. The Australians have already confirmed their playing lineup.
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