Aussie cricket supporters have hit out after fan favourites Scott Boland and Sam Konstas were both dropped for the first Test against Sri Lanka in Galle. Steve Smith had already revealed on Tuesday that Travis Head would open the batting alongside Usman Khawaja, with the stand-in skipper confirming after winning the toss and choosing to bat first that Josh Inglis would make his Test debut after being called in to replace Konstas.

The 19-year-old can feel a little hard done by after an incredible Test debut of his own during Australia’s victorious Border-Gavaskar series triumph against India. But Konstas was clearly overjoyed to see Inglis earn his maiden baggy green cap and showed his class in a beautiful moment with his teammate’s family before the start of the match.

Inglis’ wife, child and parents were spotted on the ground in Galle sharing in the momentous occasion with the 29-year-old after he was given the news that he’d be playing his first red-ball match for Australia. And after Inglis was officially unveiled as Australia’s 470th male Test cricketer, Konstas was seen congratulating his teammate and hugging his family members in a respectful show of solidarity.

Konstas’ axing came after calls from the likes of Aussie cricket great Ricky Ponting for selectors to stick with the batting line-up that got the job done against India. The 19-year-old is viewed by many as Australia’s long-term opener and the Sri Lanka series offered the Aussies the perfect opportunity to give the young gun valuable experience in tricky conditions in the subcontinent.

But selectors saw things differently and after deciding that Head would open after his impressive record against India in the subcontinent in 2023, they chose to go with Inglis in the middle order. Inglis has been selected as a specialist batter after 55 white-ball appearances for Australia and a long stint in Test squads as back-up wicketkeeper to Alex Carey.

He claimed the middle-order spot ahead of Nathan McSweeney, who had been vying for a recall after playing three Tests out of position as an opener this summer. Inglis has more top-level experience on Asian wickets than McSweeney, having won the 2023 World Cup in India, and is set to bring similar middle-order aggression to Head. Fellow West Australian Geoff Marsh presented Inglis his cap before Wednesday morning’s toss.

Uproar as fan favourites Sam Konstas and Scott Boland axed

Boland was also brutally axed after starring in Australia’s series win against India, with the visitors – as predicted – opting for a three-pronged spin attack on what looks set to be a turning pitch. Left-arm offspinner Matthew Kuhnemann earned his recall after overcoming a dislocated finger injury on his non-bowling hand, to join fellow spinners Nathan Lyon and Todd Murphy in the Aussie side.

Veteran Mitchell Starc was picked as Australia’s only frontline pace bowler, with skipper Pat Cummins and Josh Hazlewood both remaining home in Australia. It means all-rounder Beau Webster will likely to take the new ball alongside Starc as Australia’s other seam option, meaning there was no place for Boland.

The Victorian quick was arguably the pick of Australia’s bowlers against India after taking 21 wickets in three matches at a staggering average of just 13.19. But Boland has often been the unlucky bowler to miss out when Starc, Cummins and Hazlewood have been available and once again missed out in Galle, leaving plenty of fans angry at his and Konstas’ axings.

Travis Head gets Aussies off to flying start

Australia’s decision to promote Head to opener paid dividends as the 31-year-old raced to a half century in the opening session off just 35 balls. Head averaged 55.75 as an opener on Australia’s last visit to the subcontinent in 2023 and looked solid again on the opening morning in Galle as he and Khawaja got the Aussies off to a brilliant start, before he was caught for 57 trying to belt Prabath Jayasuriya to the long-on boundary.

Smith admitted he was a little unsure about what the pitch would do but had no hesitations batting first after winning the toss, with conditions for Sri Lanka in their second innings likely to be treacherous. “I am unsure at this stage. It is a little bit tacky this morning, so I am sure not how it will play-out. We will wait and see,” Smith said after the toss. The stand-in skipper is just one run off joining the exclusive 10,000-run club in Test cricket and will almost certainly reach the momentous milestone when he comes in to bat.

AUSTRALIA XI:

Usman Khawaja, Travis Head, Marnus Labuschagne, Steve Smith (c), Josh Inglis, Beau Webster, Alex Carey, Mitchell Starc, Todd Murphy, Nathan Lyon, Matthew Kuhnemann

SRI LANKA XI:

Dimuth Karunaratne, Oshada Fernando, Dinesh Chandimal, Angelo Mathews, Kamindu Mendis, Dhanajaya De Silva (c), Kusal Mendis, Prabath Jayasuriya, Nishan Peiris, Jeffrey Vandersay, Asitha Fernando

with AAP