In Grenada, Sam Konstas scored a cool 25 in the opening inning before being dismissed for a duck in the final seconds of the second day.
McDonald is still hopeful about the child’s potential in spite of the uneventful experience. With a chance to round off the series on a strong note, Konstas will play in the final Test at Sabina Park, which will be the venue’s first-ever day-night Test.
Early in the domestic season and through Australia A matches, players will have plenty of chances to stake their claim for Ashes selection, according to Australia head coach Andrew McDonald, who saw encouraging glimpses from young batter Sam Konstas during the second Test match against the West Indies.
“After four games and eight innings, it’s probably too early to make any judgements. I believe that your technique or talent level aren’t always the problems in Test cricket. It involves handling the strain, the moments, and everything else that comes with it from the outside. He’s a player getting used to the surroundings,” McDonald stated, according to ESPNcricinfo.
“That first inning in the previous game was a minor improvement. The way he set up his first twenty or so balls, in my opinion, showed that he had good intentions. He was also moving much more effectively than in the previous game, when it appeared that he was trapped in the middle and unsure of whether to play a shot. The game was either really aggressive or extremely defensive,” he continued.
Before being available for the Sheffield Shield’s opening rounds in early October, Konstas is anticipated to play in the four-day matches on Australia A’s tour of India in late September. Before the Ashes series, there will be four Shield rounds.
“In domestic cricket, there is always a lot of chance at the beginning of the season and before any Test series. Players had the chance to put their hand up last year when the Border-Gavaskar Trophy was held. We’re keeping a careful eye on Australia A [versus Sri Lanka A] in the Top End [Darwin] right now. Therefore, it truly comes down to the opportunity,” McDonald stated.
“We focus first and foremost on the present moment. We’re convinced that the players we have here can perform,” he continued, “but everyone will be speculating about who can enter and what possibilities there are.”
Despite the fact that pace bowling, not spin, has dominated the series, McDonald stated that it could be challenging to make firm conclusions about the Ashes from this tour.
It’s most likely not comparable to Australia because of the significant sideways movement and fluctuating bounce. There may be some surfaces that are. I believe Perth has the capacity to move up, down, and somewhat sideways when it cracks a little. However, compared to what we’re witnessing today, I believe the first four Shield cricket rounds will make a stronger connection to the Ashes,” McDonald stated.
“What we are seeing here, though, is people getting exposed at Test level, and within that exposure, the mental challenges of Test cricket are real,” he stated.
Usman Khawaja’s struggles continue to cast doubt on Australia’s top order, but Cameron Green’s half-century allays worries. Australia won both Test matches handily, according to the head coach. The West Indies, who were evenly matched after two days, fell apart in the second innings of both Grenada and Barbados, surviving only 34.3 and 33.4 overs, respectively.
Every time the top order has failed, the middle order has been able to rescue us, and vice versa. In several instances, the middle hasn’t produced the results you might anticipate, while the top order has thrived, McDonald said.
“In the end, cricket is about matching the batting and bowling. We’re doing that right now. We’re figuring it out somehow. Would we prefer the top-order to produce more? That is beyond question. And more runs would be desired by those players. However, they will arrive. We have managed to go beyond the West Indies batting order. and they’ve been really significant wins,” he continued.
McDonald went on to say that while player evaluations will be conducted when the team arrives in Jamaica, he does not expect any changes to the group for the final Test, which will be Mitchell Starc’s 100th appearance. After the game, a decision will be taken regarding Marnus Labuschagne’s inclusion in the squad.
Labuschagne may choose to visit Darwin for the second four-day match against Sri Lanka A, which begins on July 20, or he may choose to return to Glamorgan for the County Championship. But it’s also being discussed to rest him before the August ODI series against South Africa.
India
