Kingston: A week ago, Australian coach Andrew McDonald leapt to the defence of four-Test rookie Sam Konstas following returns of 3, 5, 25 and 0 in the first two matches against the West Indies.

“Four games, eight innings - it’s probably early for anyone to judge really,” McDonald told reporters, while acknowledging the performances hadn’t been spectacular.

McDonald and fellow selectors will now have 10 Konstas innings – or “data points”, as they like to call them – to assess ahead of Australia’s next Test assignment.

The only problem is that it’s the biggest of the lot: an Ashes series on home soil.

How many do they need? Is 10 enough? Or 20?

The scores do not make for pretty reading, and selectors are the ones accountable – albeit on challenging pitches in the Caribbean. They knew picking Konstas, with such little first-class experience, was a gamble. They’d argue it has been an investment.

For the second summer in a row, Australia does not have a settled opening batting combination.

Sam Konstas.Credit: AP

Konstas’ latest five-ball duck in the second innings of the third Test in Jamaica ended one of the most torrid tours by an Australian opening batsman in recent........

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