Steve Smith says he pushed for Test selectors to pick Cooper Connolly

Steve Smith revealed that he strongly advocated for Cooper Connolly's inclusion in the Australian squad for the tour of Sri Lanka. Connolly, a surprise pick in the 16-man squad, edged out other all-rounders Glenn Maxwell and Mitch Marsh to secure his ticket to Sri Lanka. The 21-year-old has only played four first-class cricket matches and has yet to take a wicket, averaging 61.80, but his impressive 90 for Western Australia in last season’s Sheffield Shield final caught the selectors' attention.

Connolly has since made his breakthrough in 2024, representing Australia in both T20 and One Day International cricket, though he hasn't had many opportunities with the bat in his four international white-ball matches. However, his recent performances on the UK white-ball tour, as well as a 37 for Australia A against India A in Mackay in October, impressed the Test selection panel. Smith, who took over as captain from Pat Cummins, who was on paternity leave, after the Sydney Test victory over India, pushed hard for the left-arm orthodox spinner Connolly, hoping to replicate the spin attack Australia often encounters in the subcontinent.

Speaking at the Sydney Cricket Ground on Friday before rejoining his Sixers squad for the BBL, Smith said, "I had a brief chat with Ron and Dodds (coach Andrew McDonald and selector Tony Dodemaide) after the game. I was very keen to get someone like Cooper in, who can spin the ball the other way. You look at India, they have Axar (Patel) and Ravindra Jadeja, and when one spinner is tired or not having an effect, they can bring on another spinner. I like that mix, having two different types of spinners, it works really well. He’s a talented young guy and he’s performed well every opportunity he’s had.”

Meanwhile, Smith indicated that he is unsure whether Sam Konstas will be retained as an opening batter in Sri Lanka. The youngster’s place in the team is uncertain after he entered Test cricket as an opener earlier this season. Middle-order dasher Travis Head could potentially be moved up to the opening position, as they did on their last tour to India. With veteran Usman Khawaja also a proven performer in the subcontinent, Konstas finds himself in a somewhat precarious position after helping Australia reclaim the Border-Gavaskar Trophy.

Regarding the team’s opening combination, Smith said, “I don’t have the answers right now. We have a bit of time until the games and we have plenty of options with how we want to structure the team. We will look at what the best way is to go and go from there.” Smith stated he would try to help Konstas succeed in spin-dominant conditions but would not over-interfere. “As a batter, you only learn your way,” he said. “You have to play the way you want to play because it’s your career. From there, you learn through experience. I’ve seen him bat like that, and I’ve seen him bat more traditionally in Shield cricket and do really well. He’s got all the tools and I think he’s got the ability to absorb pressure when he needs to, and also put pressure back on (the bowlers). That’s something he’ll learn. He’s 19, he’s a kid. He’ll go through a lot and learn along the way.”