Audition for opening spot begins as Sam Konstas included in Australia A squad to face India A

Cricket Australia has announced a 17-member strong Australia A squad to face India A in the two-match unofficial series starting on October 31. Young opener Sam Konstas, who scored twin hundreds against South Australia in Sheffield Shield, has also been named in the squad. Konstas will also be auditioning to be a part of the senior Test team to face India in the Border-Gavaskar Trophy.

Sam Konstas is regarded as an emerging talent in the Australian domestic circuit. He has a real chance of making it to the senior team if he impresses in this series. However, he will have a tough competition with Cameron Bancroft and Marcus Harris, both of whom have played international cricket before.

The feat of scoring twin hundreds in the Sheffield Shield was earlier achieved by former Australian captain Ricky Ponting about 21 years ago. Sam Konstas achieved this feat in the opening round of the tournament this season.

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Nathan McSweeney to lead Australia A squad against India A

Nathan McSweeney will lead the Australia A team which also includes seasoned players like Cameron Bancroft, Michael Neser, Scott Boland, Marcus Harris, and Josh Philippe. Offspinner Todd Murphy, who has played 6 Tests for Australia and has been impressive, is also included.

The 21-year-old allrounder Cooper Connolly, who has played a few white-ball matches for Australia, has been included as well. Connolly is also the only player in the squad who is also in the ODI squad against Pakistan in November.

But the focus will be on the openers as one opening spot is empty in the senior Australian team after George Bailey revealed that Steve Smith will bat at No. 4 in the Border-Gavaskar Trophy.

Australia A squad: Nathan McSweeney (c), Cameron Bancroft, Scott Boland, Jordan Buckingham, Cooper Connolly, Ollie Davies, Marcus Harris, Sam Konstas, Nathan McAndrew, Michael Neser, Todd Murphy, Fergus O'Neill, Jimmy Peirson (wk), Josh Philippe (wk), Corey Rocchiccioli, Mark Steketee, Beau Webster

Cameron Bancroft, Sam Konstas, and Marcus Harris are in focus

Hence, Cameron Bancroft, Sam Konstas, and Marcus Harris will be aiming to stake a claim on the spot. Bancroft last played a Test match in 2019 during the Ashes. He has played 10 Tests so far and scored 446 runs at an average of 26.23 with three fifties.

Marcus Harris last played a Test match at Sydney in the 2022 Ashes. The left-hander has played 14 Tests so far and scored 607 runs at an average of 25.29 with three half-centuries to his name.

The young 19-year-old Sam Konstas is the youngest of all and has played just five first-class matches so far. However, he has scored 412 runs at an impressive average of 51.50. He has already struck 2 hundreds and 1 fifty in his short domestic career.

Australia looking to fix an opening spot in the Test team

The opening spot in the Australian Test team has not been fixed since the retirement of David Warner. Smith moved up the order from No. 4 to the opening spot as he wanted to face the challenge of opening the batting in Tests.

With Smith opening, Cameron Green was given the No. 4 slot in the batting order. But recently, the Australian team management decided to move Smith back to No. 4 for the Test series against India which will mean an opening spot will be empty.