Chief selector George Bailey has not guaranteed Sam Konstas a Test debut at the MCG despite calling the teenager into the Australian squad for the remainder of the India series at Nathan McSweeney's expense.
Batting prodigy Konstas was on Friday included in Australia's 15-player squad for the final two Tests, with paceman Jhye Richardson the other new face replacing injured Josh Hazlewood (calf).
At 19 years and 85 days, Konstas would become the fourth youngest man to wear the baggy green if selected for a fairytale debut in the Boxing Day Test.
While specialist opener Konstas is the most logical choice to partner Usman Khawaja at the top, Bailey would not rule out handing a first baggy green to either Beau Webster and Josh Inglis, who remain in the squad.
"We've had preliminary chats," said Bailey.
"Sam's method, his style, is different to Nathan's, different again to Beau's and Josh's as the other batting options within the team.
"Clearly we've got a number of options there. We'll work through that and we'll be really clear prior to Boxing Day."
Bailey conceded it was "a tough call" to drop recent debutant McSweeney after only three Test matches but felt the top-order's struggles had left selectors little choice but to make a change.
Neither McSweeney nor fellow opener Khawaja made a score above 40 across the first three Tests of the Border-Gavaskar Trophy, which India will retain with a win in Melbourne.
"Just given the way that the series has played out, we just want the option of throwing something different at India for this next Test," he said.
"It's clearly been a challenge at the top of the order for both teams."
Amid the Australian batting order's unconvincing start to the summer, Konstas has been mounting an irresistible case for higher honours.
In October, the New South Welshman became the youngest player since Ricky Ponting to score two centuries in the same Sheffield Shield match.
The right-hander made another ton playing for the Prime Minister's XI against India at Manuka Oval earlier this month.
He set a new BBL record as the youngest player to score a half-century during his debut for the Sydney Thunder on Tuesday night.
Konstas will play for the Thunder against the Sydney Sixers on Saturday night before joining the Australian squad.
The recent successes have emboldened Konstas, a protege of former Australian representative Shane Watson.
"Obviously you get more confident the more time you spend in the middle facing really good bowlers," he said on Thursday.
"Trying to test myself, challenge myself, is the main thing."
Bailey denied it had been a mistake to pick McSweeney, who had never opened the batting in a first-class match, ahead of Konstas for the first Test in Perth.
He was confident the South Australian captain remained a Test calibre player.
"In the lead-up to the series (McSweeney) was performing incredibly well," Bailey said.
"I think the key around that was the fact that his methodology and the way he plays, we believe, doesn't change too much wherever he's coming in in the order.
"It hasn't quite worked out, as you'd like it to ... but it's still very much the start of his career.
"He's got the ability and temperament to succeed at Test level."
Khawaja's high score across the series to date has been 21, lower than McSweeney's 39, and at 38 years old, is nearing the end of his career.
But the left-hander was never in danger of being dropped for Konstas.
"We value the left hand at the top of the order. There wasn't a great deal of consideration to moving him," Bailey said.
Uncapped paceman Sean Abbott has also returned to the squad alongside Richardson, who played the last of his three Tests in 2021.
But fellow quick Scott Boland is expected to beat the pair for selection at the MCG, where he memorably took 6-7 in the second innings of his Test debut three summers ago.
Boland most recently filled in for Hazlewood when a side strain forced the quick out of the second Test against India.
AUSTRALIA:
Pat Cummins (c), Sean Abbott, Scott Boland, Alex Carey, Travis Head, Josh Inglis, Usman Khawaja, Sam Konstas, Marnus Labuschagne, Nathan Lyon, Mitch Marsh, Jhye Richardson, Steve Smith, Mitch Starc, Beau Webster.
