Michael Clarke lashes out as Sam Konstas' Test debut thrown into ...

Michael Clarke has lashed Aussie cricket selectors for their embarrassing backflip on Nathan McSweeney after Sam Konstas was brought into the Test squad for Boxing Day. However selectors have stopped short of confirming that Konstas will debut and have taken a huge risk by allowing him to play BBL on Saturday night.

On Friday, Konstas was included in Australia's 15-player squad for the final two Tests against India, with paceman Jhye Richardson the other new face replacing the injured Josh Hazlewood. At 19 years and 85 days, Konstas would become the fourth-youngest man to wear the baggy green if selected for a fairytale debut in the Boxing Day Test.

Michael Clarke (R) has backed Sam Konstas (L) to shine, but called out selectors for their decision to axe Nathan NcSweeney. Image: Getty

His inclusion comes at the expense of McSweeney, who hadn't made a score above 40 in the three Tests he played. But according to former Test captain Clarke, selectors should have given McSweeney the entire series to prove himself.

"I can't believe that [McSweeney has been dropped]," Clarke said on the 'Beyond 23' Cricket Podcast on Friday. "No matter who they picked in that opening position, they had to give them the series."

Sam Konstas will still play in the BBL for the Sydney Thunder on Saturday night. (Photo by Mark Metcalfe/Getty Images)

While Clarke was rapt for Konstas, he believes Usman Khawaja should have been the man to make way after a similarly lean series. "I think the selectors have got this wrong," he said. "We've got Usman Khawaja who's just turned 38. Uzzie's made no runs. Marnus Labuschagne before he made a 60 had made no runs. Everyone apart from Nathan McSweeney is over 30 years of age, and high 30s.

"I wish [Konstas] all the best - I hope he walks out there and lives his dream, makes a hundred on debut - something like that would be amazing. But what happens if Usman Khawaja retires in two Test matches time? Does McSweeney come straight back in or is he at the back of the queue now? They've got to come out and say 'we made a mistake picking him."

Unlike McSweeney, Konstas is a specialist opener and the most logical choice to partner Khawaja at the top on Boxing Day. But chief selector George Bailey would not rule out handing Beau Webster or Josh Inglis their debuts.

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Inglis could bat at the top of the order if he's selected, while Webster might be handed a debut if Mitch Marsh's lack of bowling leads to another all-rounder being named in the XI. Webster's inclusion would likely see him bat in the middle order with Labuschagne elevated to open.

"We've had preliminary chats," Bailey on Friday. "Sam's method, his style, is different to Nathan's, different again to Beau's and Josh's as the other batting options within the team. Clearly we've got a number of options there. We'll work through that and we'll be really clear prior to Boxing Day.

"Just given the way that the series has played out, we just want the option of throwing something different at India for this next Test. It's clearly been a challenge at the top of the order for both teams."

The fact Konstas, Inglis and Webster will all play in the BBL this weekend suggests selectors might not have made up their minds about who will replace McSweeney. Surely if they'd already decided on Konstas, he would be put on ice and not playing for Sydney Thunder against the Sydney Sixers on Saturday night. It would be a cruel twist of fate if the 19-year-old's Test dream was ruined by an injury suffered in a rather meaningless BBL game.