LIVE: Aussie teen prodigy to make historic debut in baptism of fire ...
Boxing Day has arrived and with it comes one of Australia’s most highly-anticipated Test debuts this century with teen prodigy Sam Konstas set to make history.
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Australia won the toss and chose to bat first with Sam Konstas to make his debut in place of Nathan McSweeney while Scott Boland replaces Josh Hazlewood.
Meanwhile, in a massive selection bombshell, Indian No. 3 Shubman Gill has been dropped for Washington Sundar.
Indian captain Rohit Sharma confirms he’ll return to the top of the order.
It means India will take two spinners and six bowlers in total into the match.
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The MCG has become much more spin-friendly since the pandemic as compared to the previous few years, with spinners’ bowling average dropping to 30.7 (since 2020) from 52.3 (2015 to 2019).
Konstas has replaced the axed Nathan McSweeney and the 19-year-old will become the youngest player ever to open the batting in a Test for Australia.
The New South Welshman will do it facing the world’s No. 1 ranked bowler in Jasprit Bumrah who has dominated this series with 21 wickets at just 10.9.
Konstas is also in sizzling form this summer having made a stunning 107 off 97 balls for the Prime Minister’s XI against India A to go with back-to-back Sheffield Shield tons and the fastest-ever half century for the Thunder.
But if he bats on day one he’ll also have to overcome scorching conditions, with the forecast for the MCG hitting a top of 37 degrees.
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