Has Sam Konstas been mentally ‘damaged’ by West Indies Test series experience? Australian coach has his say

The Australian opener Sam Konstas, who smashed a thrilling fifty on debut against India, has been under pressure of late. He was first left out of the WTC final, and has then struggled in the just-concluded Test series in West Indies. He has tried changing his game to a more orthodox style in the West Indies but hasn’t worked and former Australian players have been gunning for his head, saying he shouldn’t be part of the squad that faces England in the Ashes.

Australia’s coach Andrew McDonald has rubbished suggestions that Konstas would have been mentally scarred after his showing on tough pitches in the West Indies.

“Off the top, nobody is damaged by being exposed to Test cricket. What it does is give you a taste of what that level is like. All the things that come with being a Test cricketer. The exposure across the series is going to create great opportunities for him to go away and reflect,” McDonald told Sen radio network. “This period of time for any player is a, ‘Decompress, do you own reflections’, then we get together and plan the winter for him and get him where he needs to be for Shield cricket.”

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McDonald has said that Konstas is going through a period where he is trying to balance his innate aggression with some circumspection and find a middle path.

“Right now he is juggling his aggressive nature, his technique and the way he wants to go about playing,” McDonald said. “There’s no doubt he’s got something to work on like all our players. I’m not going to expose what they are because that’s a declaration to the opposition.

“He is clear on what they are and is working on them. He is a highly talented player and over time we will see the real Sam Konstas. When you see a player in work at the nets and you gather information, we believe he has got more layers than just being that ultra-aggressive disruptor at the top of the order.”

The Australian coach says Konstas has as much chance as other candidates to make it to Ashes provided the runs come in domestic cricket.

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“It was a difficult time for Sam; he will take away some information that will accelerate his growth going forward. It’s been a massive positive. “We feel he has a big future ahead. He’s had a small setback here in difficult conditions so did the rest of the top order.

“We won’t shy away from the fact that it will be big for certain individuals to get some scores on the board and for us to look at what we need against England … We see him as a player we will be using going forward. It’s just a matter of when … It leaves him [Konstas] where everyone else is in terms of Shield cricket.”

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