New Delhi: Sam Konstas will have his personal batting coach alongside him while preparing for Test debut in the Boxing Day match against India in Melbourne.
Australia have called up the 19-year-old to open the innings alongside Usman Khawaja in place of Nathan McSweeney, who was dropped after failing to fire in the first three matches of the five-match Border-Gavaskar Test series.
Konstas joined the Australian squad on Sunday at Melbourne, ahead of training on Monday and apart from former Australia all-rounder Shane Watson, he also had former Bangladesh first-class batter Tahmid Islam alongside him.
Islam has worked with Konstas at his school in Sydney though it is not usual for a personal batting coach to help a player before a Test match, reports Sydney Morning Herald.
Konstas has no prior experience of working with head coach Andrew McDonald and assistant Michael Di Venuto, which might have led him to seek help from Tahmid in Melbourne.
‘Won’t watch Bumrah’s bowling too much’
Konstas has a tough task of negotiating the Jasprit Bumrah-led Indian bowling attack. McSweeney was dismissed four times by Bumrah in his six innings before getting dropped.
With senior opener Usman Khawaja also struggling for form, a lot would depend on how specialist opener Konstas tackles Bumrah, the leading wicket taker in the series with 21 scalps.
“I won’t watch too much. I have already seen him a lot. But I am excited to challenge myself and face him,” Konstas was quoted as saying by the ICC.
“Pat Cummins called me this morning and the coach (Andrew McDonald), and they’re going to talk about my role in the team in the next few days. And then Steve Smith congratulated me. I can’t wait to get amongst it.
“As a kid, you have always dreamt of the moment, and it is very rare, getting your baggy green. So it’s a huge honour if I do get in (the team). Big crowd, sellout, different vibe really, for my first opportunity.”
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