Brad Haddin has urged Australian selectors to send Sam Konstas home to play state cricket if he isn’t in their plans for the second Test against Sri Lanka.
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Despite his glittering introduction into Test cricket against India, Konstas was dropped for the first of two Tests in Galle to make way for the promotion of Travis Head.
Haddin expects Konstas to play in the World Test Championship final against South Africa in June but is wary of how much cricket he will play between now and then.
“We’ve got to remember he’s (Konstas) 19 so if they’re not using him for the second Test I would send him home to play state cricket, he hasn’t played a lot and the more he plays the better,” Haddin said.
“He would’ve had a good couple of weeks over there (Sri Lanka) learning, so if he’s not going to be needed, send him back home to bat.”
New South Wales is set to play a Sheffield Shield game against Queensland at the Gabba alongside the second Test in Galle.
Haddin says Konstas will be “picking the brains of the senior players” on tour but, with only 13 first-class games, he will be better served spending time in the middle.
“I think he’s been left out of the side because Australia had a plan a long time ago of how they wanted to play in Sri Lanka,” Haddin said.
“We’ve seen how well Travis Head and Uzzie (Khawaja) played at the top of the order, I think he (Konstas) will come straight back in for the Test Championship.
“He’s come out of nowhere in the last six months because he’s such a high-quality player and is still learning the game.
“He’s only a 19-year-old boy, the world is in front of him, we’re going to see a very good player for a very long time.”
Australia has already retained the Warne-Muralitharan Trophy after its innings and 242-run win over Sri Lanka in the first Test.
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