Sam Konstas has been added to Cricket Australia’s national contract list, joining fellow newcomers Beau Webster and Matt Kuhnemann in the 23-man squad.
The teenage prodigy made a splash last summer, scoring a half-century on his Test debut against India, and appears poised to become a mainstay in the Australian team.
Konstas is anticipated to make his return for the World Test Championship final in June.
Although some of his performances and inconsistent dismissals during the latter part of the Sheffield Shield season raised eyebrows, chief selector George Bailey has stated he hasn’t had direct discussions with Konstas, opting instead to trust the NSW and Australian coaching staff to guide him.
Sam Konstas. Getty
“I’m very much leaving that to others,” Bailey remarked.
“Greg Shipperd has been in touch with Andrew McDonald.
“I’m keenly following Konstas’s progress and how he’s developing, but I haven’t engaged in any discussions myself.”
Newcomer Webster also made a strong impression during his initial experience in the baggy green, while Kuhnemann has been acknowledged for his outstanding string of performances with the ball against Sri Lanka.
When questioned about the composition of the Test team for the match against South Africa, Bailey highlighted that the anticipated return of Cameron Green provides selectors with numerous possibilities.
“We have some time to consider that,” he noted.
“With Cam Green coming back, we’re hopeful that everything continues to progress positively. We will consider our options over the next few months.
“While we have choices, it’s important to remember that these are one-off matches, tailored to the specific conditions in England. The way we structure that team may differ as we move straight into the West Indies tour.”
Aaron Hardie, Todd Murphy, and Sean Abbott are the players who have missed out from the 2024/25 contract list, while Nathan McSweeney and Cooper Connolly have also been overlooked.
Todd Murphy has missed out on a contract. Getty
Murphy participated in the recent tour of Sri Lanka but failed to capture as many wickets as Kuhnemann.
Abbott and Hardie have contributed to the white-ball formats, with Hardie likely to remain a feature for Australia throughout the year, notwithstanding his exclusion from the contract list.
Cricket Australia contracted players 2025/26
Xavier Bartlett, Scott Boland, Alex Carey, Pat Cummins, Nathan Ellis, Cam Green, Josh Hazlewood, Travis Head, Josh Inglis, Usman Khawaja, Sam Konstas, Matt Kuhnemann, Marnus Labuschagne, Nathan Lyon, Mitchell Marsh, Glenn Maxwell, Lance Morris, Jhye Richardson, Matt Short, Steve Smith, Mitchell Starc, Beau Webster, Adam Zampa
Compiled by SportArena.com.au.
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