Cricket: Sam Konstas ends debut West Indies tour with a duck
As Cricket Australia confirmed there would be four rounds of Sheffield Shield matches before the opening Test in Perth in November, those matches could prove to be more important than ever to solidify an opening line-up to have faith in ahead of the five clashes with England.
Australian captain Pat Cummins, coach Andrew McDonald and batting coach Michael Di Venuto, all called for patience with Konstas, who lashed India on debut at the MCG but has battled in almost every innings since.
Konstas made less runs than three of the home team's fast bowlers, less runs than Cummins, and faced just 145 balls, including 53 in the first innings in the final Test in Jamaica that were a painful experience for most to watch.
Sam Konstas' struggles continued. Picture: Shamar Joseph. Picture: Randy Brooks / AFP
He finished the series with a batting average of just 8.33, the lowest for an Australian opener in a Test tour of the West Indies since 1984.
McDonald had flagged that the small sample size for Konstas, who ramped his way to a stunning 60 on debut against India, made it 'probably early for anyone to judge' the 19-year-old.
But the coach also suggested that the start of the Sheffield Shield season could provide 'great opportunity' for someone to put their hand up ahead of the home Ashes and that now looms as the route Konstas may need to take to save his spot.
'There's great opportunity in domestic cricket at the start of the season, and there always is leading into any Test series,' McDonald said.
'We saw with the Border-Gavaskar Trophy last year, there was opportunity for players to put their hand up there.'
Australia A is also playing Sri Lanka A in Darwin, with the red-ball games featuring the likes of Nathan McSweeney, the man Konstas replaced midway through last summer's series against India.
The worrying situation comes after former England fast bowler Stuart Broad said the Australian top order had never looked more 'muddled'.
Usman Khawaja bowled by Shamar Joseph (Photo by Randy Brooks / AFP)
Veteran Usman Khawaja also only made 107 runs in the series, casting further clouds over the 38-year-old's future.
Judgment could be reserved given the nature of the tough batting conditions throughout, with not a single century made by batters from either team.
Australia only passed 300 once, and the West Indies' highest score has been 253.
The home team was rolled for just 143 in the pink-ball Test in Jamaica, 89 runs behind Australia, who lost Konstas and Khawaja among six final session wickets as the West Indies bowlers took control.
Australia finished at 6-99, Cameron Green unbeaten on 42 and Cummins on five, with a leads of 181.
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