Sam Konstas selected for Australia A series against India A

Australia's latest batting prodigy could be heading to the Test team with 19-year-old New South Wales opener Sam Konstas named in the Australia A squad for the upcoming series against India A.

Konstas made a breathtaking start to the Sheffield Shield season with two centuries against South Australia last week, becoming the youngest player to do so since Ricky Ponting.

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He was rewarded for that breakthrough performance by being chosen alongside opening rivals Marcus Harris and Cameron Bancroft for the two four-day series of matches to be played at the Great Barrier Reef Arena in Mackay and the Melbourne Cricket Ground.

The right-hander also has the opportunity to put his talents in the spotlight at NSW to take on Victoria in a blockbuster Shield clash at the MCG starting on Sunday, where Test incumbents Pat Cummins, Mitchell Starc, Josh Hazlewood , Nathan Lyon and Steve Smith Everyone is expected to play.

Konstas – who was part of this year's victorious Under-19 World Cup team – has been highly regarded for some time, despite being just a teenager.

Fox Cricket commentator Kerry OKeefe praised him last summer as a potential replacement for David Warner, while Brad Haddin has been full of praise for him for some time on the Willow Talk podcast – largely because Shane Watson was his mentor due to their connection through Sutherland Cricket Club in Sydney quality cricket.

The calls for a Baggy Green are growing louder due to his demolition of South Australia and the confirmation of Cameron Green's back surgery ruling him out of the Border Gavaskar Trophy, opening up a spot in Australia's top order.

Australian legend Doug Walters has called for him to be picked for the first Test against India at Optus Stadium next month.

At 19, you don't have too many nerves or worry about too many things, Walters told The Courier Mail.

I never worried much about things until I was confronted with them. That was my attitude to life and hopefully it is his too.

I think it's worth taking a risk (on Konstas) when you see what's happening within the team. I would prefer to see Steve Smith back in his normal position (at number four).

Prominent cricket journalist Peter Lalor shared Walter's views on ABC's Offsiders program on Sunday.

Every cricket expert I talk to says this kid is the right one, Lalor said. This is another Ponting.

They even called him Pinter: a little Punter in the New South Wales dressing room.

He's a different Hughes, he's a different Clarke. He has time, he started making hundreds when he was ten. He makes them for fun.

Wherever he goes, he has broken batting records. If he gets another 100 in the Shield, I'd imagine he could potentially slot in as an outsider as an opener for Australia this summer.

The indication is that Steve Smith no longer wants to open the batting after filling the void left by Warner in Australia's four most recent Tests, and Konstas could step straight into that position and jump in line ahead of the likes of Harris , Bancroft. and Matt Renshaw – who was not named in the Australian A squad despite being the reserve batsman on the New Zealand tour earlier this year.

The inclusion of the three openers along with all-rounder Beau Webster sets up a potential knock-off in the matches against India A with selectors George Bailey, Andrew McDonald and Tony Dodemaide to debate different configurations of Australia's top six, coupled with the need around the bowling group.

Webster has been rewarded for opening his campaign with a hundred against Victoria after plundering 938 runs at 58.62 and taking 30 wickets at 29.30 with his combination of medium pace and off-spin last summer to win the Shields Player of the Season to become .

Webster's all-round skills suggest him as an equal replacement for Green, but he is mainly deployed at number six for Tasmania, which would mean Smith remains at the top or one of Marnus Labuschagne, Travis Head or Mitch Marsh rises to the top. take on the new ball.

South Australian skipper Nathan McSweeney has been selected as captain for Australia A in a major nod to his leadership potential.

The 25-year-old right-hander averages 36.61 in First Class cricket but enjoyed an impressive partnership with Australian wicketkeeper Alex Carey as they both scored centuries in the fourth innings to hold on to a draw against NSW spin pair Lyon and Tanveer Sangha.

Showing that against spin and more of it against India A could earn him a ticket to Sri Lanka for the two-Test series in February as a middle-order option.

On the bowling front, the selection of proven duo Scott Boland and Michael Neser makes it likely that they will continue as the next fast players behind Cummins, Hazlewood and Starc.

The race for partner Nathan Lyon in Sri Lanka is also heating up with off-spinners Todd Murphy and Corey Rochiccioli both selected.

Murphy made his India debut last year and also played two Ashes Tests after Lyon's calf injury, but his West Australian rival was the most prolific tweaker in Shield cricket last season with 46 wickets at 27.60.

The selectors have also hinted at Australia's batting future, with West Australian Cooper Connolly – who made his ODI and T20I debuts on the recent tour of Great Britain – chosen despite playing just two first-class matches , while exciting middle-order batsman Ollie from New South Wales Davies is also in the squad.

Australia A selection:

Nathan McSweeney (SA/Glenelg Cricket Club) (c)

Cameron Bancroft (WA/Willeton District Cricket Club)

Scott Boland (VIC/Frankston Peninsula Cricket Club)

Jordan Buckingham (SA/West Torrens Cricket Club)

Cooper Connolly (WA/Scarborough cricket club)

Ollie Davies (NSW/Manly Warringah District Cricket Club)

Marcus Harris (VIC/St Kilda cricket club)

Sam Konstas (NSW/Sutherland District Cricket Club)

Nathan McAndrew (SA/Woodville Cricket Club)

Michael Neser (Queensland/Gold Coast District Cricket Club)

Todd Murphy (VIC/St Kilda Cricket Club)

Fergus O'Neill (VIC/Melbourne Cricket Club)

Jimmy Peirson (QLD/Redlands Cricket Club)

Josh Philippe (NSW/Western Suburbs Cricket Club)

Corey Rochiccioli (WA/University Cricket Club)

Mark Steketee (QLD/Valley District Cricket Club)

Beau Webster (TAS/Kingborough Cricket Club)