'Yeah mate, no stress': Konstas takes axing in stride

Sam Konstas has shown his character with a classy response to being dropped for the first Test against Sri Lanka, says Cricket Australia selector Tony Dodemaide.

Dodemaide stopped short of guaranteeing Konstas would reclaim his opening spot for the home Ashes this summer but insisted the star teenager remained part of succession plans for an ageing Australian squad.

Australia cited Travis Head's form as an opener on the last subcontinent tour in 2023 for the "difficult" decision to oust Konstas from the top of the order in Galle.

Konstas turned heads with his aggressive approach in his first two Tests to help seal a rare series victory over India, but has not toured the subcontinent before.

The 19-year-old was seen congratulating Josh Inglis's family as the previously uncapped West Australian took his spot in the XI for the first of two Tests in Galle.

After being told he would be dropped, Konstas offered to arrive at the ground early for day one on Wednesday to help with preparations.

"There's a lot to like and be impressed about Sam," Dodemaide said.

"One of the things is his ability to take things in his stride. It's remarkable really, whether it's playing in front of 90,000 and Jasprit Bumrah at the MCG or getting told that you're left out of the Test. 

"He was like, 'Oh yeah mate, no stress. I get it'."

Konstas memorably slapped the world's best paceman Bumrah around the ground in Melbourne as he scored a half-century in his first Test dig on Boxing Day.

He then partnered with Usman Khawaja to ignite the series-winning run chase at the SCG.

But Dodemaide would not guarantee Konstas would be able to reprise his heroics during the next home series, with two Sri Lanka Tests, the World Test Championship final and a West Indies tour to play out before then.

"We won't pre-empt what's happening there," Dodemaide said.

"But clearly he's done a lot right hasn't he?  

"We're looking for those successor players to come in, there will be some turnover naturally in the next couple of years or so and he's very much staked a claim."

Selectors will also not rule out Konstas returning to the XI in the second and final Sri Lanka Test, pending the result in the first.

"He's a hugely talented player, hasn't played a lot in this part of the world but he'll learn quickly obviously," Dodemaide said.

"The opportunity to have him here, not to say that Test two is out of the question obviously depending on what happens here, but the opportunity to give Nathan McSweeney, Cooper Connolly and even now Ollie Peake (a chance to tour the subcontinent) is an investment in the future."

The call to drop Konstas sparked criticism from Australia's most prolific Test runscorer Ricky Ponting, who had previously called for him to retain his spot.

"There is a real missed opportunity for the Australians here to get to learn a bit more about Sam Konstas," the legendary former Test captain said on Channel 7.

"If he is the player we all think he is, I would have loved to have seen him work out a way to play spin in tough conditions in Sri Lanka over the next couple of weeks."

Dodemaide said Australia needed to prioritise a first series win in Sri Lanka since 2011 even if the side had already qualified for the WTC final.

"A lot of the narrative has been around this tour doesn't matter. It really does, it's Test cricket. That's our priority," he said.

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)