Fortune did not fall in favour of Sam Konstas at the MCG on Monday, but Australian great Brett Lee has backed the prodigy to deliver for his nation as soon as the opening Test of the Indian series beginning in Perth in a month’s time.

On a beautiful morning in Melbourne, the 19-year-old fell LBW to returning Test star Scott Boland early on a day where Victoria’s classy attack steamrolled a New South Wales top order featuring Steve Smith for just 136, exactly half the tally of the host side’s first innings.

The first teenager since Ricky Ponting in 1993 to score twin centuries in a Sheffield Shield game when starring against South Australia earlier this month, Konstas was given out for two on a ball that appeared to be darting down leg-side.

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But the early dismissal does not detract from his hopes of securing an Australian debut alongside Usman Khawaja when Australia hosts India in the highly-anticipated five Test series, with Lee voicing his confidence in the teenager.

“It is not because he is wearing a blue cap and I am a proud New South Welshmen, but he has had a fantastic start to his First Class career,” he told Fox Cricket podcast The Follow On, which you can listen to below.

“To make two hundreds back-to-back — he has only played a handful of Sheffield Shield matches — but I have kept a close eye on him for the last couple of years. He has come through the ranks and done very, very well from Under 19 cricket to get into the Sheffield Shield squad under some good guidance as well.

“He has been doing a lot of work with Shane Watson and I am very good mates with ‘Watto’ — he has had a bit of a keen eye on him — and a lot of the guys around his cricket club have been helping him out as well. This guy is an absolute weapon. He is a raw talent.”

Australian coach Andrew McDonald said Konstas was in the conversation alongside tested openers Marcus Harris, Cameron Bancroft and Matt Renshaw when it comes to filling the vacancy at the top of the order.

After making a patient 26 from 89 balls before falling to Mitchell Starc in the first innings of the Shield clash at the MCG, Harris got off the mark in his second innings when driving a four from the Australian quick on Monday. But he only lasted another six overs, dismissed for just 16 in the midst of a brilliant Mitchell Starc spell after being caught down the leg-side again thanks to a sharp Josh Phillippe catch behind the stumps.

Renshaw managed only two for Queensland in the first innings of a match against South Australia in Brisbane on Sunday.

Bancroft, meanwhile, fell for eight in a clash against Tasmania in Perth after making a rare pair against Queensland in the opening round of the Sheffield Shield. In a concern, all three dismissals to date this season have been edges through to the wicketkeeper.

McDonald said a lack of experience would not count against Konstas, who is playing in his sixth Sheffield Shield game, and Lee said it could be argued the aspirants in their 30s were too old to be considered.

“Is he too young at 19 years of age? I don’t believe he is. Age is just a number. And the conundrum you have when you talk about age is how old is too old?” Lee said.

“Is a Cameron Bancroft now too old? Is a Marcus Harris somewhat too old? Is Australia better off going to guys in their late 20s and early 30s and hoping for a couple of quality seasons, or are they going to look to the youth?

“I think what they potentially should do is look to a guy like Sam Konstas, because he has a wonderful technique and he is definitely a player of the future. It is only a matter of time, in my opinion, until he plays for Australia. So why not (pick) him now?

“But also, give him the freedom. Don’t say that if you don’t score runs in your first Test, you are out. Give him the confidence (and tell him) that you have the whole Australian summer. ‘Back yourself. (You have) 10 innings.’ I can promise you he will get some runs if he is going in with some confidence. (He) would be my first pick.”

Lee said that, if anything, youth could well prove an advantage for Konstas given he would enter the Australian team without any of the baggage associated with having tried and faltered in the past.

“The thing I think is different between him and other players is because he has got that youth, he doesn’t get overwhelmed,” he said.

“Sometimes you can get overtrained and if you overtrain, you can get nervous and you can worry about all those little things that can go wrong. The youth of today just come in and play with freedom. Jake Fraser-McGurk is another guy who is a terrific player who just goes out and sees the ball and hits the ball for six.

“That is why we love youth and the reason I would be saying, ‘Get the guy in.’ But he is not all (about) getting out there and trying to smack the ball for four. He has a beautiful technique (and) he likes to bat time.

“I have spent some time with him recently, just a couple of weeks ago, and had a good chat to him and he just has a good head on his shoulders. He comes from a lovely family and he has had a good upbringing and he has all the makings of a wonderful Test batsman in the future. Whether it is this … series coming up or down the track, I think he will definitely play for Australia.”