Sam Konstas has been left out of Australia’s squad for the first Ashes Test. Truth be told, he shouldn’t have even been in there in the first place, despite the highs of a memorable Boxing Day debut.
That is not a knock on Konstas or his ability. The talent is there. I simply cannot agree with those who say they can’t see what the selectors see. It points to the need for a cultural shift; the kind where fans and media resist the urge to judge too quickly. One good score doesn’t mean a young player is the next Steve Waugh or Ricky Ponting. Similarly, not every failure is a crisis.
Unfortunately, this is the reality Konstas has faced since his twin-ton effort against South Australia to start the 2024/25 Sheffield Shield season. He was catapulted into Test contention off the back of just one standout performance. Every innings since has been met with increased attention, with each score defining his Test chances.
All this while Konstas was learning and evolving with just a handful of Sheffield Shield appearances under his belt.
George Bailey needs to understand the Sam Konstas situation is partly selector-induced
Imagine a life where you are judged by every success or failure. A good score and you’re on the doorstep the Test team. A low score? Your ability is in question and your every move is scrutinised, including questions as to whether you even have a cover drive.
A spot in Australia’s Test team should come from a bedrock of consistent performances and processes. Konstas is a player still learning his game, specifically in terms of his technique and style of play.
At 20 years of age, this is completely fine and it’s time we accept that. The fact that Australia is an ageing team should not mean we unfairly place the weight of national expectation on a player who isn’t quite ready for the top level.
Konstas’ former batting mentor Neil D’Costa warned everyone before last year’s India’s series. “He could be a good player for 100 Tests. If they put him in now, he might only play 10 Tests,” D’Costa told Sydney Morning Herald. “Let him understand the grounds [in Australia], understand the flows [of the game], understand himself and understand the game. If he’s good enough, he will get the runs, and he’ll be in [the team in] a little bit.”
However, it didn’t stop the Australian selectors taking a chance on Konstas, and they haven’t made it easy. They played him as a trump card against India and Jasprit Bumrah, who was near unplayable for most of the 2024/25 series. Konstas played a memorable innings on Boxing Day, but what was his Plan B when fielders were set for the ramp shots?
Soon after, Australia refused to play him in Sri Lanka and then selected the opener for a West Indies series played on very bowler-friendly surfaces.
Consistency is the next step for Konstas
Since then, Konstas scored a fine century for Australia A in India, but has found the going tough in the ongoing Sheffield Shield season as he felt the weight of being the incumbent Test opener. Now that he has been left out of the Ashes squad, it’s important Konstas regularly speaks to people he trusts and focuses on doing well for New South Wales, shutting out any outside noise of a potential Test spot.
If Konstas produces a strong performance in his next one or two Sheffield Shield matches, you just know sections of the media will mention Test cricket. The Australian selectors must ignore this and demand consistency from Konstas, rather than get carried away by the odd good innings.
Sam Konstas needs trusted people around him to give good advice
The great Steve Waugh hit the nail on the head. The former captain sees a bit of his career with Konstas.
“I feel a little bit sorry for Sam Konstas,” Waugh said, as quoted by ESPNcricinfo. “He’s been in and out of the side a bit, and it actually reminds me a bit of myself when I first started playing for Australia. Not fully confident of being in the side, and up and down, and form not quite there. So he’s probably lacking a bit of confidence.”
Waugh then provided some advice for Konstas. He called for the 20-year-old to spend time in First Class cricket and understand his game inside out.
“[My advice to Konstas would be] not to listen to everybody. Just trust one or two people around you. Go back to basics. At the end of the day, it’s really hard to learn how to play Test cricket while you’re playing Test cricket, and that’s what happened to me for a few years.
“I wasn’t really that finished product. I’d go back to Shield cricket, try and build some long innings, bat for as long as you can, and just get to know your game really well. And then [when] you walk out to play for Australia, you’re confident in what you’re doing.
“I think, at the moment, he’s guessing how he’s meant to play. There’s a lot of expectations, so he’s probably not playing with a clear mind.”
Konstas has the talent to succeed for Australia. He’s impressed at Under-19 level, has First Class centuries, and has shown glimpses of his shotmaking in limited overs cricket.
However, it’s all just a little too early. Konstas is figuring out his style of play and how to pace his innings, and Test cricket is not the place for that.
If Australian cricket truly wants to nurture its future, it must give Konstas the breathing room to develop at Sheffield Shield level. Time is on his side, so let’s see what he can do without the weight of the world on his shoulders.
