Western Australian could become fourth player to receive Baggy Green in as many Tests
Connolly in the mix as Aussies consider another debutant
Australia looks set to take an unchanged batting line-up into tomorrow's second Test against Sri Lanka at Galle, but the door remains open for another debutant in a potential reshuffle of the bowling attack.
With the pitch for the final game of the two-match series expected to spin more pronouncedly from the outset, Western Australian spin-bowling allrounder Cooper Connolly may come into contention to replace off-spinner Todd Murphy.
Speaking prior to his team's final pre-game training session and before he was able to assess the latest developments on the ever-changing Galle playing surface, Australia stand-in skipper Steve Smith wouldn't rule out the inclusion of another rookie.
"I can't see the top six changing, I daresay that will be the same and from there we'll see what happens," Smith said.
"All options are on the table, we've got the resources here if we need it.
"Same as last Test, we're going to wait pretty late and see what the wicket looks like.
"It looked a little bit drier yesterday, for two days out compared to the first one."
Connolly's batting skills are likely to be as much of a consideration as his left-arm orthodox with which he's yet to capture a first-class wicket in four appearances for WA.
If the 21-year was to earn a call-up, it would be the fourth consecutive Test in which Australia has blooded a debutant after Sam Konstas (Boxing Day against India), Beau Webster (New Year's Test at SCG) and Josh Inglis in last week's opening Test at Galle.
And while Smith indicated his top six batters would remain unchanged for the second Test, coach and selector Andrew McDonald extended that stability to the first seven suggesting Webster's place as a seam-bowling allrounder remains safe.
That would mean the likely berth for Connolly if selectors opt for his all-round talents on a dry, bare pitch would be in preference to Murphy given the starting XI has Nathan Lyon as well as part-time off-spinners Travis Head and Webster who can mix spin with his seamers.
"From what I've seen in the nets he bowls some really good balls," Smith said of Connolly who spent considerable time batting in the nets at Galle Stadium during yesterday's main training session.
"He was pretty consistent where he was bowling in Dubai (at the pre-Test training camp) and in the nets here, and that's kind of all you've got to do in these conditions.
"Just try and bowl as many good balls in a good area, and just let the conditions take over.
"I think he's only bowled (16) first-class overs back in Australia but it's entirely different the way you bowl (here), and the way he does bowl and the way it comes out suits him quite nicely.
"It's another batter who bowls more than handy spin and spins the same way as (fellow left-arm spinner) Matthew Kuhnemann.
"So we've got a few that go the same way as Nathan (Lyon) and Todd (Murphy), and I only used Heady for two overs and he's been pretty good in these conditions as well.
"It's another option to potentially go the other way."
When asked if there was a prospect of Murphy missing out, Smith added: "Everything's on the cards, we've got a full dressing room ready for whatever way we want to go now."
"Todd, watching him bowl in the nets the other day … he bowled beautifully.
"He was coming over the top of the ball and probably getting a bit more natural variation as well.
"I think he's taken a couple of learnings out of the last game which he'll continue to take into this one if selected."
Not only would the inclusion of 21-year-old Connolly – who this week was named as the joint BBL Player of the Tournament as leading runs scorer – further deepen Australia's batting, the art of left-arm spin has proved a potent weapon at Galle in previous years.
It was initially thought Connolly's bowling had not quite developed to Test standard, but he has been working closely with Australia assistant coach and ex-New Zealand left-arm spinner Daniel Vettori in the pre-Test training camp at Dubai and in Sri Lanka.
"He's here for a purpose and that's the reason why he's here – he's potentially a spinning allrounder," McDonald told SEN Radio in Melbourne.
"He's got a long way to go and he's developing nicely.
"To see him work through what he needed to with Dan Vettori in the UAE, and then to come here – we feel as though if he was to be given the nod, then most certainly he'd be able to do the job.
"But the winning team and the feel of that for the captain makes a lot of sense, but we've just got to shift with whatever is presented.
"That's the art of selection is to make sure that you're not dismissing all the new information that comes to hand to make the right judgments in the right moment."
McDonald, who noted Australia faced a similar selection call on the previous tour to Sri Lanka in 2022 when spin-bowling allrounder Glenn Maxwell was in the frame but ultimately overlooked, claimed the consideration was how many bowling resources might be needed.
But he added the deployment of three specialist spinners – Lyon, Kuhnemann and Murphy – with Starc as a new-ball weapon meant there was little respite for Sri Lanka's batters in the first Test.
"We really like the feel of the three spinners and the ability to maintain that pressure," he said.
"To have four frontline bowlers - the three spinners and Mitchell Starc, I feel like Steve (Smith) had everything at his deployment, and there was no escape.
"So that's probably our consideration, but we'll go through that and get as much information as we can and take an educated guess."
Webster wasn't required to bowl in the first Test, and Smith conceded in conditions where the ball was turning he was reluctant to "take overs away" from a frontline spinner in favour of seam.
Starc sent down 13 overs for the match for his three wickets in the first Test, and Smith indicated if he was going to turn to a part-time option he would opt for Head before asking Webster to roll out his off-breaks.
But he claimed while the availability of three specialist spinners had come up trumps for Australia in the first Test which they won by an innings and 242 runs, he was not wedded to the notion which might open the door for Connolly if the pitch dictates.
"I think we can make anything work if the conditions suit," Smith said today.
"The beauty of last game was we were able to change the spinners up.
"When you've got three frontline spinners you can change them up whenever someone gets a little tired or something's not happening.
"I thought I did that well, but I thought Mitchell Starc bowled exceptionally well with the new ball as well.
"He got three wickets for the game and could have got more so we've got plenty of options."
Off-spinner Ramesh Mendis – who played the most recent of his 15 Tests against New Zealand last September - has meanwhile been added to Sri Lanka’s squad and is tipped to replace fellow office Nishan Peiris who struggled to make an impact in the series opener.
Qantas Tour of Sri Lanka
First Test: Australia win by an innings and 242 runs
Second Test: February 6-10, Galle (3.30pm AEDT)
Sri Lanka Test squad: Dhananjaya de Silva (c), Dimuth Karunaratne, Pathum Nissanka (subject to fitness), Oshada Fernando, Lahiru Udara, Dinesh Chandimal, Angelo Mathews, Kamindu Mendis, Kusal Mendis, Sadeera Samarawickrama, Sonal Dinusha, Prabath Jayasuriya, Jeffrey Vandersay, Nishan Peiris, Asitha Fernando, Vishwa Fernando, Lahiru Kumara, Milan Rathnayake
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 ODI: February 12, Colombo (3.30pm AEDT)
Second ODI: February 14, Colombo (3.30pm AEDT)