Konstas dropped as Australia name Ashes squad for the 1st Test, with Weatherald getting his first call up to the side.
Konstas dropped, Weatherald called up for first Ashes Test.
Tasmania opener Jake Weatherald received his first international call-up, and Sam Konstas was left off of Australia’s Test squad for the first Ashes Test against England. The national selectors have chosen a 15-man group that offers them a variety of alternatives.
After a strong start to the season with Queensland, Marnus Labuschagne, who was dropped in the West Indies earlier this year, is expected to be recalled into the starting lineup. However, where he bats is still up in the air and will probably depend on Cameron Green’s ability to play as an all-rounder.
George Bailey, the chair of the selectors, emphasised that Labuschagne could bat anywhere while stating that neither the batting order nor the final XI had been decided.
“He can bat three, he could open,” Bailey remarked. “He’s got the skill set for both, but he’s been looking pretty good of late.”
After opening the batting for Tasmania and Australia A with 1391 runs at 53.50 and striking at 68.65 over the previous 14 months, Bailey thought Weatherald had earned his spot.
“I think it’s a pretty solid record for sort of 18-24 months,” Bailey said. “I don’t think there’s any one innings, but there’s been a good consistency, I think, in the way that he approaches his batting. I think he’s in a really clear place. We don’t see any sort of shifting innings to innings from the way he goes about it.
“So that says to me that he’s someone who has a clear understanding of the way they want to play and the way they feel like they’ll get the best performances out of themselves. And by virtue of that, he just happens to score at four runs an over, and has some natural attacking strengths without sort of being cavalier with that.”