“Ricky was trying to break into a super Australian side at that moment with probably no gaps, and there is a gap in the Australian team in the position [Konstas] bats in at the moment. So he’s worth being heavily in the conversation.

“In Sam, I do see a lot of that skill level and that poise at the crease, shots on both sides of the wicket, in front of the wicket, behind the wicket, I think he’s got what it takes.”

McSweeney said playing for Australia was a childhood dream.

“Definitely, as a kid that’s the dream to get a baggy green, I’d bat wherever, wherever,” 25-year-old McSweeney said. “Batting three, your preparation is pretty similar, all my prep is with the new ball. Sometimes you’re in there second ball of the game.”

A 13-man squad would enable coach Andrew McDonald and captain Pat Cummins the option of choosing a specialist opener or a middle order player, with Labuschagne the most likely candidate to move up one spot to partner Usman Khawaja.

“I’ll bat wherever they tell me to bat,” Labuschagne said. “My career at number three has been relatively successful, hopefully it should be more successful, but that’s where I’ve batted.

“If they think I should move, and that’s best for the team, then that’s what will happen, but at this stage, they’ve made it pretty clear they’re going to look down the opener route.”

Konstas made a hard-nosed 43 in the second innings of a Shield game won comfortably by Victoria over NSW on Wednesday, and Shipperd said he would learn from the hasty charge down the pitch at Todd Murphy that ended his stay.

“In the second innings, I think he started to show everybody again what he’s got,“Shipperd said. “He’s poised and balanced, and any time you get through the first 25 overs of a Victorian attack with the new ball, it shows you’ve got something.

“But for a sad error in terms of judgment in that particular ball, I think he showed that he should be in a conversation at least.

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“He’s relaxed and focused on learning and focused on what his game is all about in terms of what is working and where the challenges may be. He had a couple of them in this innings, where he did a couple of strange things in terms of his choice, but he’s reflecting on those, and we’re really confident he’s got the game if picked.”

Of the 29-year-old Inglis, who is the only player other than Konstas with multiple centuries in the Shield so far this season, Shipperd noted the ability to score runs all around the wicket and a tempo akin to that of Warner.

“I think they’re looking for a style of player at the top of the order, and Josh Inglis may fit that breach,” Shipperd said.

“If you think of the style, he’s a right-handed version of David Warner in terms of someone who wants to get on with the play, strokes all around the wicket, and he’s played at the level internationally, and he’s a well-respected player.”

As for Warner’s “comeback”, his former opening partner and Victoria coach Chris Rogers could only laugh.

“I think Davey’s being Davey, and he’s looking for a reaction,” he said. “I had to laugh. I thought maybe I’d come to this press conference and say, ‘I’m ready to go.’”

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