Calls are growing for young cricket sensation Sam Konstas to be handed his debut in the baggy green with Usman Khawaja’s form a worry, despite Aussie cricket legend Ricky Ponting’s warning. Khawaja has been apart of Australia’s woeful top order form this summer with Jasprit Bumrah wreaking havoc with the opening batters.

Nathan McSweeney has endured a tough introduction to international cricket, but will probably be given the series to prove himself. However, Khawaja and Marnus Labuschagne are under enormous pressure to retain their position after a string of poor performances.

The 38-year-old was expected to call time as opener after the Ashes series next year, but he might not make next summer with youngster Konstas putting up his hand for a baggy green. Khawaja is averaging 12.60 after five innings with scores of 8, 4, 9 not out, 21 and 8 against India. Khawaja has also now failed to score a half-century in the last 11 innings.

With the series locked at 1-1 and Australia needing to avoid a defeat in the final two matches to win back the Border-Gavaskar Trophy. And there is growing pressure for Khawaja to contribute more to retain his position.

And calls are growing for Konstas to be given time in the baggy green before the Ashes so the 19-year-old can establish himself before England tour Australia. Konstas has been a revelation in 2024 having averaged 42.23 with two centuries to his name in his debut Sheffield Shield season for NSW. He also notched a 90-ball century for the Prime Minister’s XI against India earlier in December. Overall in red-ball cricket, Konstas has scored 670 runs at 55.83.

And he further pushed his case for a call-up in his T20 Big Bash debut in Canberra on Tuesday night. Although Ponting has cautioned Aussie cricket fans of bringing him into the team too early with the 19-year-old having never played in front of a massive crowd. Originally Ponting was sold on the young star’s talent and thought he could feature this series.

Fans are calling for Konstas to play at the MCG in front of 90,000 roaring fans. This is daunting for any batter, but Ponting backtracked slightly and questioned whether bringing the 19-year-old in against an Indian attack would be good for his momentum.

“I’ve watched a lot of his highlights,” Ponting said on SEN Radio in November. “After the first Shield game this year when he scored two hundreds, I got asked about him and I thought they’d pick him in the Test team.

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“But then I thought a bit deeper about it. He has no experience around Australia yet but give him 12 months when he’s played at the Gabba, played at Perth and other venues. With a bit more experience, he’s got all the talent, he will open the batting for Australia within 18 months.” Despite calls for Khawaja to make way, there is also pressure on Labuschagne to keep his position.

The No.3 has averaged 16.40 against India and has struggled for runs across the last 18 months. And there has also been calls to move McSweeney back down to his more fimiliar first drop position and bring Konstas in. Regardless, captain Pat Cummins has defended his top order having hinted there probably won’t be changes heading to Melbourne.

Pat Cummins defends his top order batters

While Australia’s top order has been poor with the series locked at 1-1, Cummins defended the trio. The captain echoed Steve Smith’s sentiment from Brisbane and claimed the opening trio have faced torugh conditions this summer.

“The trend all over the world is the top three is a really hard place to bat at the moment, especially here in Australia,” Cummins said. “There are snippets that have been important. Like the first innings, Travis Head walks in 35 overs into the game (and hits a century), same in Adelaide.

“Obviously we would like them to score more runs, but I think they have made some important contributions that others have benefited from.” He also shut down the second innings effort and claimed the players were tryong to accelerate their run-rate to help the team total.

“I can’t say I’ve ever been scared of momentum. Don’t really care about that,” he said. “I think we can take lots from this week. A couple of great partnerships, to be sent in and score 450 and then being a bowler down and managing to bowl India out for 250.”