Travis Head has given the strongest indication yet he is not in the race to open against India, listed at No.4 for South Australia in their Sheffield Shield game against NSW.
There had been speculation that Head could be one of several options to open in the Test side, if Steve Smith was not preferred at the top.
But that now appears less likely, with South Australia to use Henry Hunt and Conor McInerny at the top of the order against the Blues at Cricket Central.
Australia’s chief selector George Bailey is in attendance.
Head will likely have to wait until later in the match to bat, with NSW winning the toss and batting first under heavy cloud cover and spots of rain.
South Australia have four Shield matches before the first Test of the summer next month, although Head is unlikely to feature in the last of those due to Australian white-ball commitments.
Cameron Green is the other leading option to open if coach Andrew McDonald wishes to bump Smith back to No.4, but that would depend on the allrounder’s back injury.
If Green is not fit, Australia could look towards a specialist opener, or bring in an allrounder as an extra bowling option alongside Mitch Marsh.
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