19-year-old Sam Konstas gets Boxing Day Test nod after McSweeney faces the axe

Teenage sensation Sam Konstas was handed a maiden callup as Australia on Friday dropped rookie opener Nathan McSweeney for the final two Test matches of the BorderGavaskar Trophy against IndiaThe 19yearold is set to become Australias youngest Test batting debutant in over 70 yearsKonstas inclusion follows a series of disappointing performances from the Australian top order in the first three Tests especially McSweeneyThe 25yearold who made his Test debut in the seriesopener in Perth failed to score a single halfcentury and could manage scores 10 0 39 10 not out 9 and 4 in his six innings and was dismissed by Indian pace spearhead four timesKonstas had been in the reckoning to partner Usman Khawaja after grabbing the attention of Cricket Australias selection committee following his twin Sheffield Shield centuries for New South WalesHe had scored an unbeaten 73 at the MCG against India A while notching up a ton 107 in the Prime Ministers XI pink ball game against India in CanberraSam gets a call up to the Test squad for the first time His style of batting offers a point of difference and we look forward to watching his game develop further Australian Chair of Selectors George Bailey saidAlso ReadAshwin thanks Tendulkar and Kapil Dev with a funny twist shares call log photoWe remain confident Nathan has the ability and temperament to succeed at Test level in the future It was a difficult decision to leave him outIt has clearly been a challenge at the top of the order for batters throughout the series and we want to provide the option of a different lineup for the next two matches he addedIf Konstas who turned 19 on October 2 is selected in the playing XI in the Boxing Day Test he would become Australias youngest Test debutant since captain Pat Cummins who was 18 years and 193 days old when he made his debut against South Africa in Johannesburg in 2011It would be a dream come true playing the Boxing Day Test Konstas had said earlier this weekMaybe Id get a little nervous before the game but Ive worked really hard for that Hopefully it happens one day but well see he addedHe would also become the secondyoungest player and the youngest specialist batter to debut for Australia since Ian Craig when he played against South Africa at the MCG in 1953 aged 17 years 239 daysPacer Jhye Richardson has also been included in the 15member squad in place of Josh Hazlewood who has been ruled out due to a cafe injuryRichardson who himself has overcome a series of injuries has not featured in a Test match since his three appearances during the 202122 Ashes seriesIn the absence of Josh Hazlewood Jhye provides further options in the fast bowling space It has been pleasing to see his successful return throughout the early part of the domestic summer Bailey saidSpeedster Sean Abbott is also back in the squad for the remaining alongside uncapped Tasmania allrounder Beau Webster who was added ahead of the second Test in AdelaideAustralia squad for 4th and 5th TestPat Cummins c Sean Abbott Scott Boland Alex Carey Travis Head vc Josh Inglis Usman Khawaja Sam Konstas Marnus Labuschagne Nathan Lyon Mitchell Marsh Jhye Richardson Steve Smith vc Mitchell Starc Beau WebsterWith agency inputs