Sam Konstas’ MCG debut could be the most important Sheffield Shield moment this decade

This morning Sam Konstas will walk out to bat at the MCG, it could be the most important Sheffield Shield innings this decade.

Just a point of order, for the purposes of our conversation, Konstas is an Australian, not a New South Welshman.

I hate this part of our cricket discourse which seems to degenerate into state-based loyalties and jealousies.

What Australian cricket needs is fresh blood, the new generation, the next big thing.

I don’t care which state our teenage prodigies burst from, as long as they reveal themselves.

Australian cricket needs Konstas to get a thorough working over from Scott Boland today, and for the teenage to survive and thrive and build his case toward Test selection.

We well know this selection panel doesn’t have its hair blown back easily, it favours stability and experience.

Konstas will need to do an awful lot to forge his way past Cam Bancroft – who will also bat later today in Perth. Marcus Harris missed his moment yesterday when he gloved a ball down leg side from Mitch Starc when on 26.

The Cam Green injury has proved most inconvenient. Australia had seven Tests last summer to sort out its long-term strategy at the top of the order ahead of these critical summers against India and England. It chose instead to indulge the Dave Warner Farewell Tour and the Steve Smith Flight of Fancy.

Both proved counter-productive in answering the biggest question in the Australian batting order, so we find ourselves here again.

Does Australia settle for either Bancroft or Harris? Or is it bold? Konstas can make that a rhetorical question if he piles on the runs.

Also, some might have found comfort in India’s shock home loss to New Zealand, I’d caution against that.

India batted foolishly for a session and was dismissed for 46.

But don’t miss what happened in the second innings – the first Test century of Sarfaraz Khan and another score in the 90s from Rishabh Pant.

This is a hungry batting line up to confront.

But all eyes to the MCG from 1030… Victoria has one wicket remaining.

Then we’ll see Sam Konstas, may he go well not for New South Wales, but for all Australians.