Watson: ‘Perfect storm’ for Konstas to make Test debut

Sam Konstas‘ mentor Shane Watson believes circumstances have thrown up a “perfect storm” for the teen prodigy to make his Test debut in the home series against India.

Konstas announced himself as a Test bolter with twin Sheffield Shield centuries for NSW earlier this month and will feature for Australia A next week alongside the out-of-form Cameron Bancroft and another previous Test opener in Marcus Harris as the selectors narrow down their options.

Matthew Renshaw is another with past Test experience while momentum is building behind the uncapped Nathan McSweeney and Josh Inglis is an out-of-the-box option, but with only six first-class games to his name, 19-year-old Konstas has also been considered as a bold option to partner Usman Khawaja at the top.

Watson said selectors need only look to the player Konstas would replace for proof rare talents must be given early chances at Test cricket. Injured allrounder Cameron Green made his Test debut at 21 on India’s last tour of Australia, having been earmarked as a prodigy playing Sheffield Shield for Western Australia.

Watson felt the age of the current playing group was further evidence of the need to inject young blood; there is no player younger than 30 who both played in Australia’s last Test match in March and is fit for the summer.

“The whole situation is, in my mind, a perfect storm to be able to give him an opportunity to be able to play Test cricket,” Watson told AAP. “For me, this is an opportune time, knowing that the bowlers are aging, there’s Steve Smith and Usman Khawaja as a starting point who are aging.

“They’ve still obviously got a lot of great cricket in front of them. But the one thing Australian cricket always did incredibly well was see someone who is different from all the younger stars coming through and get them into the Australian set-up, as early as they can within reason, to be able to help them learn.”

Current captain Pat Cummins memorably became the second-youngest Australian debutant in Test history when the then-18-year-old earned a first baggy green on the 2011 tour of South Africa, while Konstas’ batting predecessors Ricky Ponting and Steve Waugh were both given the nod at 20.

Watson himself can vouch for the benefits of earning international experience early, having first played ODI cricket as a 20-year-old.

“There’s no doubt that my one-day cricket would never have evolved to the heights that it did without me being around the Aussie team [at a younger age],” said Watson, who went on to play in Australia’s 2007 and 2015 World Cup triumphs.

Watson has been working with Konstas for the best part of four years, having first come across him as a student at Cranbrook – the Sydney school attended by Watson’s son.

He named Konstas’ single-minded dedication to his craft as his most striking attribute.

“From the first moment that I met Sam, the thing that jumped out at me the most was his desperate desire to be the best that he possibly could be,” Watson said. “The first time I had a net session with him as a 16-year-old, he hits the ball differently; the shot options that he has available to him and his defence.

“But then knowing how diligently he has been working on his mental game as well, it absolutely does not surprise me to see what he’s able to do.”

The mental side of cricket has been of particular interest to Watson towards the end of his career and into retirement, with his book The Winner’s Mindset recently adapted into an online skills course through SafetyCulture.