Travis Head will partner Usman Khawaja at top of the order as pre-Test training session provides clues to make-up of XI
Head locked in for opening return for Sri Lanka Test
Australia are unlikely to settle on their playing XI for the first Test against Sri Lanka at Galle until tomorrow morning's coin toss, but skipper Steve Smith has confirmed Travis Head will open the batting alongside Usman Khawaja.
Speculation has been rife Head would replace teenage rookie Sam Konstas at the top of the order after the former impressed when filling in for injured opener David Warner in the final two Tests of Australia's most recent subcontinent sojourn, to India in 2023.
Smith said finalisation of the line-up would be delayed because of the ever-changing nature of the Galle pitch, which underwent a significant shaving of grass yesterday afternoon once Australia had completed their training session and left the venue.
With all options on the table, but a likely focus on spin bowling, it's unclear if Konstas will retain his place as a middle-order batter but Smith claimed Head was "locked in" for the two Tests with few other radical changes expected.
"Trav will go to the top, outside of that I think it will be pretty stable," Smith told reporters prior to Australia's final pre-Test training session.
"I don't see it being a great deal of change from that.
"The selectors liked what they saw in India when he (Head) had that opportunity.
"He got after the new ball, scored quickly and put the pressure on them straight away so I guess similar thinking here."
Smith said regardless of whether Konstas, who blazed onto the Test stage with an audacious half-century against India on Boxing Day, is re-cast as a middle-order player, the Sri Lanka tour will prove an invaluable learning experience for him.
The 19-year-old has shown a markedly different temperament in the practice nets both at Galle and during the preceding training camp at Dubai, with studied defence and textbook drives replacing the reverse ramps and scoop shots he unfurled against India's quicks.
"He's going to have a lot of practice if he doesn't play, which in itself is great for development," Smith said of Konstas.
"I only have to think back to 2013 (in India) where I didn't play the first two Tests, and just the amount of balls I was hitting in the nets and the skills I was able to develop from facing loads of net bowlers and things like that.
"So whether he plays or not, I think it's going to be a wonderful experience for him.
"He's going to learn a lot."
Should Konstas be overlooked for a middle-order berth, uncapped keeper-batter Josh Inglis looms as a potential replacement for his Test debut.
Nathan McSweeney, who endured a tough start to his Test career as an opener during the Border-Gavaskar Trophy campaign and lost his place after three matches, is the other auxiliary batter in the squad and offers some handy off-spin bowling as well.
Smith has recovered better than expected from the elbow injury he sustained while fielding in the BBL earlier this month, and is batting without needing tape applied to his damaged arm - though he admits he won't be able to throw when in the field.
And left-arm spinner Matthew Kuhnemann seems certain to come under consideration for a Test recall for the first time since the 2023 India tour despite fracturing his right thumb, also while playing for his BBL team a fortnight ago.
"Apparently the surgeon's done an incredible job for him to be able to field and do some of the things he (Kuhnemann) has been able to do the last couple of days, we're a bit gobsmacked," Smith said.
"Either he's a tremendous actor or he's got great pain tolerance, but he's ticked all the boxes and should be ready to go.
"We'd love to name a team as early as possible but things can change really quickly in this part of the world.
"So we won't name a team yet, we'll wait and see what we get and probably the morning of the game go from there.
"The sun hasn't been out very much lately so we'll have another look at the wicket and then name the team at the toss."
Sri Lanka have also been forced into a change at the top of the order, with opener Pathum Nissanka ruled out of the first Test due to a groin injury he sustained during the recent ODI series in New Zealand.
It is understood Oshada Fernando, who played the most recent of his 21 Tests almost two years ago, is the most likely replacement although 31-year-old Lahiru Udara (who has played just one Test) is also an option.
Like his Australia counterpart Smith, Sri Lanka captain Dhananjaya de Silva was unable to confirm a starting XI for tomorrow's match.
But the unseasonal wet weather that has plagued Galle over the past weeks indicates the pitch, which usually favours spinners from early in a match, might prove better for batters at least in the first few days.
"We haven’t decided on an eleven as of now as the weather patterns are changing and we will make a final call tomorrow morning," Dhananjaya told reporters today.
"It (the pitch) is looking a bit different to what we usually get.
"I don’t think it will spin from ball one. It’s a good wicket.
"After day three I think it will start spinning."
Sri Lanka have named four seamers in their 18-man squad for the two Test series - Asitha Fernando, Vishwa Fernando, Lahiru Kumara, and Milan Rathnayake - as well as uncapped spin-bowling allrounder Sonal Dinusha.
However, it is expected a bulk of the overs will be sent down by star left-arm spinner Prabath Jayasuriya who was player of the match in his Test debut when the teams last met in 2022 at Galle.
Jayasuriya is likely to be joined by recently capped off-spinner Nishan Peiris with leg spinner Jeffrey Vandersay also an option if the home team decides to load up on tweakers.
The strongest guide to Australia's starting XI came during today's optional training session, when Inglis spent considerable time practising his catching and fielding on the boundary which would seem unusual for a reserve keeper unless he was likely to join incumbent gloveman Alex Carey in the line-up.
Inglis has been part of Australia's set-up throughout the recent Border-Gavaskar Trophy series against India before suffering a calf injury while sub fielding at the MCG.
The other possible debutant for Australia is allrounder Cooper Connolly who undertook a lengthy batting session in the Galle nets today.
Connolly would add an extra left-arm spin option if he was included, although his greatest value looms as a lower-order batter capable clearing the boundary as seen in the BBL where he finished as the regular season's leading runs scorer.
Konstas spent most of today's final pre-Test training run, conducted under heavy cloud with occasional light showers of rain, working on catching and fielding which would suggest he won't be part of the starting XI come tomorrow.
Qantas Tour of Sri Lanka
First Test: January 29-February 2, Galle (3.30pm AEDT)
Second Test: February 6-10, Galle (3.30pm AEDT)
Sri Lanka Test squad: Dhananjaya de Silva (c), Dimuth Karunaratne, Pathum Nissanka (subject to fitness), Oshada Fernando, Lahiru Udara, Dinesh Chandimal, Angelo Mathews, Kamindu Mendis, Kusal Mendis, Sadeera Samarawickrama, Sonal Dinusha, Prabath Jayasuriya, Jeffrey Vandersay, Nishan Peiris, Asitha Fernando, Vishwa Fernando, Lahiru Kumara, Milan Rathnayake
Australia Test squad: Steve Smith (c), Sean Abbott, Scott Boland, Alex Carey, Cooper Connolly, Travis Head (vc), Josh Inglis, Usman Khawaja, Sam Konstas, Matt Kuhnemann, Marnus Labuschagne, Nathan Lyon, Nathan McSweeney, Todd Murphy, Mitchell Starc, Beau Webster
First ODI: February 12, Colombo (3.30pm AEDT)
Second ODI: February 14, Colombo (3.30pm AEDT)