Matt Renshaw's hopes of a earning a Test recall have been dealt a blow after teen prodigy Sam Konstas beat him for selection in the Australia A squad to face India A.
As recently as last week, Renshaw appeared a front-runner to replace the injured Cameron Green for the five-Test home series against India, alongside fellow openers Marcus Harris and Cameron Bancroft.
Renshaw has played Test cricket more recently than either of those two rivals, having featured on last year's India tour, and was picked in the squad for Australia's two most recent series against New Zealand and West Indies.
But with one eye on the future, Cricket Australia selectors named Konstas alongside Bancroft and Harris in their 17-man squad for the two matches to be played in Mackay and Melbourne.
It also came after Renshaw made just 15 and 6 in Queensland's drawn Sheffield Shield match in Perth which ended on Sunday.
"We still really like Matt's ability to play," chief selector George Bailey said on Monday.
"As far as Australia A selection goes, part of the process around that is trying to identify opportunities that may come around in the short-term; but also making sure that we do keep an eye on developing opportunities, providing opportunities for those players who may become important in different roles in the future as well.
"Whilst there's an Australia A squad there, I think Matt Renshaw, Pete Handscomb, Nic Maddinson are three examples of guys we'll continue to watch really closely in Shield cricket."
Konstas's selection in the Australia A squad continues a whirlwind start to the summer for the 19-year-old NSW opener.
He announced himself as a star of the future in only his fifth first-class match last week, becoming the youngest man since Ricky Ponting in 1992 to record two centuries in a Sheffield Shield game.
But Bailey intimated Bancroft and Harris's long-standing Shield track records made them preferred options for the vacancy that will open when Steve Smith moves down the order to replace Green.
"(Konstas) is five games into his first-class career. He looks really organised and composed at the crease," Bailey said.
"It's good recognition that he's been given the opportunity to play Australia A but I don't think it's to the detriment or taking your eye off how consistent Cam Bancroft and Marcus Harris have been."
Elsewhere, Pat Cummins assumes the ODI captaincy from Mitch Marsh for the coming three-match series against Pakistan, which the allrounder and Travis Head will both miss through paternity leave.
Marcus Stoinis returns to the ODI squad after being left out of the recent UK tour, while explosive batter Jake Fraser-McGurk earns selection despite being overlooked for game time in that five-match series.
AUSTRALIA A SQUAD: Nathan McSweeney (c), Cameron Bancroft, Scott Boland, Jordan Buckingham, Cooper Connolly, Ollie Davies, Marcus Harris, Sam Konstas, Nathan McAndrew, Michael Neser, Todd Murphy, Fergus O'Neill, Jimmy Peirson, Josh Philippe, Corey Rocchiccioli, Mark Steketee, Beau Webster.
ODI SQUAD: Pat Cummins (c), Sean Abbott, Cooper Connolly, Jake Fraser-McGurk, Aaron Hardie, Josh Hazlewood, Josh Inglis, Marnus Labuschagne, Glenn Maxwell, Matthew Short, Steve Smith, Mitchell Starc, Marcus Stoinis, Adam Zampa.
