EXCLUSIVE: McDonald on Konstas' future, Khawaja and more

Cricket Australia head coach Andrew McDonald admits the West Indies series has been “a difficult time” for Sam Konstas but moved to deny the suggestion the teen has been damaged by the brutal series.

From the outside looking in, the three Caribbean Tests looked like a total disaster for Australia’s top order, but with so many others snubbed in favour of Konstas, his stats stand out as an obvious issue.

The 19-year-old finished the three-Test series with just 50 runs at an average of 8.33 - the lowest average by an Aussie opener in a Test tour of the West Indies since 1984.

It’s led experts and fans to debate whether or not Konstas remains the first choice to partner Usman Khawaja in the opening Test of the Ashes this November.

Acknowledging how tough the last month has been for his young player, McDonald is adamant that everything Konstas experienced in the West indies will make him a better player.

Asked by Adam White what he thought of claims the series could have damaged Konstas, McDonald said: “Off the top, nobody is damaged being exposed to Test cricket.

“What it does is give you a taste of what that level is like. All the things that come with being a Test cricketer. The exposure across the series is going to create great opportunities for him to go away and reflect.

“This period of time for any player is a, 'Decompress, do you own reflections', then we get together and plan the winter for him and get him where he needs to be for Shield cricket.

“There’s no doubt he’s got something to work on like all our players. I’m not going to expose what they are because that’s a declaration to the opposition.

“He is clear on what they are and is working on them. He is a highly talented player and over time we will see the real Sam Konstas.”

There were perhaps some unfair expectations put on Konstas going into the West indies series given the explosive nature of his Test debut at the MCG last December.

The likes of Cameron Bancroft, Marcus Harris, Nathan McSweeney and Marnus Labuschagne were overlooked in favour of the youngster who continues to divide opinion with some suggesting he is too aggressive.

It’s a notion not lost on McDonald who says there is plenty more depth to what Konstas has to bring.

“Right now he is juggling his aggressive nature, his technique and the way he wants to go about playing,” McDonald said.

“When you see a player in work at the nets and you gather information, we believe he has got more layers than just being that ultra-aggressive disruptor at the top of the order.

“We feel he has a big future ahead. He’s had a small set back here in difficult conditions so did the rest of the top order.

“It was a difficult time for Sam; he will take away of some information that will accelerate his growth going forward. It’s been a massive positive.”

While the youngster struggled in the Carribean, McDonald isn't ruling the youngster out from playing in the Ashes.

Simply put, the teenager will have as good an opportuntiy as anyone to grab a place in the XI for the first Test if the runs are on the board in the early stages of the Shield campaign.

"It leaves him (Konstas) where everyone else is in terms of Shield cricket," McDonald added.

"We wont shy away from the fact that it will be big for certain individuals to get some scores on the board and for us to look at what we need against England.

"That’s a nuanced conversation. Sometimes you feel you get it right other times you make changes mid series but we’re open to all options. We see him as a player we will be using going forward it’s just a matter of when."

As for Konstas' opening partner Usman Khawaja, McDonald was pretty certain that he'd be at the top of the order this Test summer despite also struggling with form in the Caribbean and WTC Final against South Africa.

"We see him playing a part during the summer," McDonald said.

"His ability to navigate through tricky situations he has great experience we feel he’s moving way.

"It feels like I’m having the same conversation we had about David Warner. The way he is moving, the method he applies, he’s very repeatable and we know what we’re getting there, and it will match up well against England.

"Then its about the output of runs. Those runs weren’t here, it was difficult. He got 47 in the first Test (against the West Indies) and that was critiqued but in the context of that match it was a sizeable score.

"Then the third Test moved way too fast and at sometimes didn’t even look like cricket."

Listen to McDonald's full chat on SEN Cricket's The New Ball here.