George Bailey says selectors have had their eye on the 21-year-old, but admits there’s ‘work to go’ before he’s a Test mainstay

Australian selectors see “lots to like” in Test bolter Cooper Connolly but have warned there is still more to be done before he becomes a mainstay of the team.

Connolly was the surprise packet of the 16-player squad for the two-Test tour of Sri Lanka beginning later this month, beating out fellow allrounders Glenn Maxwell and Mitch Marsh for a spot on the plane.

The 21-year-old has played only four games of first-class cricket for an average of 61.80, memorably scoring 90 for Western Australia on debut in the Sheffield Shield final last season.

He has since represented Australia in T20 and one-day international cricket during a breakout 2024 – albeit without batting extensively in any of his four international white-ball appearances.

But Connolly impressed Test selectors during last September’s white-ball tour of the UK, and with the 37 runs he made for Australia A against India in Mackay in October.

“There’s lots to like,” men’s national selection chair George Bailey said.

“Technically, we like it. Temperament, we like. Character, we like. Clearly, skill set, there’s a lot to like there as well.

“He’s someone that we’ve had our eye on for a period of time.

“On the first-class front, there’s not a great deal of games behind him, but he is one that’s been around that one-day group.

“We have in the past used that as a stepping stone at different times to see a player a bit more, find out a bit more about the way they play. He was obviously the beneficiary of that.”

Connolly revealed while he thought he may have been in the “conversation” to go to Sri Lanka, the Test squad call up so soon in his first-class career still came as a surprise.

“At 21 I would have been happy to play a couple of ODIs and a T20 for Australia,” he said today at the SCG ahead of Perth Scorchers clash with Sydney Sixers on Saturday.

“But to get the nod to go to Sri Lanka, I just can’t wait.

“It’s such a good group, the coaching staff is amazing, and I feel like I’m going to learn a lot.

“I was sitting there, and I saw Tony Dodemaide’s name pop up and I was like, ‘there’s probably only one thing this could be’.

“I went straight and told my mum and dad, and mum was about to cry, so I was pretty stoked with that phone call.”

Connolly will have the chance to impress Australia’s coaching staff during a training camp in the United Arab Emirates before the squad’s arrival in Galle, where both Tests will be played.

He will have his work cut out to usurp Beau Webster for the allrounder spot in the XI, given the Tasmanian’s excellent debut against India in this month’s SCG Test.

Selectors are willing to view Connolly as a long-term prospect.

“We like what we’re seeing. Clearly, there’s lots of work to go,” Bailey said.

“This will be a really big challenge for him, as it will for all those guys that are travelling to Sri Lanka, particularly for the first time. 

“I think it is a place where even the guys who have been two or three times, the subcontinent conditions that you can face, those repeat entries and exposure to those conditions certainly helps.”

Connolly’s ability to bowl spin could boost his selection chances, especially given the left-hander turns the ball a different way to fellow tweakers Nathan Lyon and Todd Murphy.

Three-time Test player Matthew Kuhnemann is likely to be favoured as a fellow left-arm spin option, and previously worked with Connolly on a Cricket Australia tour to the MRF Academy in Chennai.

“Some exposure (at international level) has been quite nice; I’ve also been on the MRF tour in India, which has been really beneficial for my cricket in spinning conditions,” Connolly said.

“I’m ready to go over there and perform.

“I’ve been picked for a reason so I’ve just got to go over there and embrace it and learn as much as I can.”

Qantas Tour of Sri Lanka

Australia Test squad: Steve Smith (c), Sean Abbott, Scott Boland, Alex Carey, Cooper Connolly, Travis Head (vc), Josh Inglis, Usman Khawaja, Sam Konstas, Matt Kuhnemann, Marnus Labuschagne, Nathan Lyon, Nathan McSweeney, Todd Murphy, Mitchell Starc, Beau Webster

First Test: January 29-February 2, Galle (3.30pm AEDT)

Second Test: February 6-10, Galle (3.30pm AEDT)

Only ODI: February 13, Hambantota (7.30pm AEDT)