Darren Berry’s Australian Test squad for Sri Lanka and shock first Test XI picks

SEN Cricket’s Darren Berry has named his 16-man Test squad for Australia’s upcoming two-match series against Sri Lanka.

Berry also named his XI for the first Test in Galle with some shock names included in his starting side.

The former wicketkeeper started by axing a couple of big names and leaving out other Aussie stars who he expects to be unavailable for the tour.

“Usman Khawaja and Mitch Marsh are omitted,” Berry told SEN Breakfast.

“Pat Cummins has family commitments which is no dramas, and Josh Hazlewood has injury concerns, so those 4 are out of my squad.”

With his first Test XI, Berry named a 21-year-old bolter to earn a Test debut and some other interesting choices.

Check out his side below in batting order.

Sam Konstas

“There's a bit of conjecture that Sam Konstas might not go and he will stay and play Shield cricket, but I've got him in,” Berry said.

“What’s likely to happen is Travis Head will go to the top like he did in India, but I’m not doing that.”

Kurtis Patterson

“I'm opening Kurtis Patterson from New South Wales. He’s 31 years of age, the same as Beau Webster. 

“Usman is 38 and he's been out of form, Kurtis Patterson is my left-fielder.

“It’s what I would do because I think he's got the technique, the temperament, and he's a good player of spin.”

Marnus Labuschagne

“Marnus is just hanging on, he's got his fingers on the ledge.”

Steve Smith

“He’s at four, no surprise.”

Travis Head

“Again, Head at five is pretty predictable.”

Beau Webster

“I can’t leave him out, he’s taken Marsh’s spot and you can’t drop him now.”

Cooper Connolly

“He’s my little curveball, it’s another all-rounder.

“I think Cooper Connolly is better than part-time as a spinner. People will say, ‘Look at his record in Shield cricket’, but I’ve watched him bowl.

“With him, I'm lengthening our batting … I don't care if you bat him at seven, six or wherever.”

Alex Carey

“Carey is keeping, but he’s just going down to number eight in Sri Lanka.”

Mitchell Starc

Scott Boland

Nathan Lyon

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Remaining squad players: 

“Nathan McSweeney is the spare batsman. 

“Sean Abbott comes in for Pat Cummins, he can bat at eight and bowls hard into the wicket. 

“Jhye Richardson is the backup paceman if Boland or Starc need a rest, he's my backup. 

“Todd Murphy is my backup if anything happens to Nathan Lyon. 

“To make it 16-man, you can add Matt Kuhnemann.”

Australia’s two-Test tour of Sri Lanka on January 29 in Galle. Listen to every ball LIVE on SEN and the SEN app.