MELBOURNE (Reuters) – Teen opener Sam Konstas has been released from Australia’s squad ahead of the second test in Sri Lanka and will return home to play for New South Wales in their Sheffield Shield match against Queensland in Brisbane.
Nineteen-year-old Konstas, who scored a swashbuckling 60 on his test debut against India at the Melbourne Cricket Ground on Boxing Day, was dropped from the Australian XI for the series-opener against Sri Lanka in Galle.
Travis Head moved up from the middle order to replace Konstas and scored 57 in Australia’s innings and 242-run win.
“Konstas has been released from the Australian squad to play his first match at the Gabba and gain further experience at the venue,” a team spokesperson said on Wednesday.
The Gabba will host the second Ashes test against England in December.
Head said he expected Konstas would return to the test squad for the World Test Championship final against South Africa at Lord’s in June.
“Most likely I’ll go back in the middle order and Sam will open,” Head told Australian media in Galle.
Australia will look to sweep Sri Lanka 2-0 with victory in the second test in Galle starting on Thursday.
(Reporting by Ian Ransom in Melbourne; Editing by Saad Sayeed)
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