Quiet debut won't determine Connolly's Test future

Cooper Connolly's quiet Test debut won't count against him as Australia flags a future in the top six for the young batting allrounder.

Selectors picked Connolly for a whirlwind Test debut in only his fifth first-class game on the expectation the Galle wicket would make batting very difficult in the second Test against Sri Lanka.

But the pitch was mostly manageable for Australia, other than in a blistering morning session on day three when Sri Lanka weaponised the new ball in a collapse of 7-64.

Coach Andrew McDonald admitted Australia had got it wrong in their predictions that led Connolly to replace third front-line spinner Todd Murphy.

"We felt as though we had enough coverage with the ball, we put a premium on runs," he said.

"That was the justification in our minds. Did that play out the way we thought it would? Maybe not. 

"But it was definitely discussed that where we may fail in this game on that surface was with runs."

Connolly ended up bowling only five overs of his left-arm finger-spin and fell for just four runs amid the collapse, miscuing a shot to backward point.

"It was a pretty tricky time to come out and bat in the first innings. He was trying to be quite aggressive and get that lead as high as we could," said stand-in captain Steve Smith.

That was his sole chance at the crease as Australia lost only one wicket on the run chase that locked up a win and series whitewash.

Connolly has already played white-ball cricket for Australia but faces an uncertain future at Test level, with his left-arm spin a less attractive selection proposition outside of Asia.

Sam Konstas and Cameron Green will also return to the selection frame for the World Test Championship final in June and are likely to be considered ahead of him for their batting.

But McDonald said 21-year-old Connolly, who only made his first-class debut last March, had plenty of time to play Test cricket.

"He's just starting it out. I think it's too early to judge anything on that game," the coach said.

"Five overs, the shot that he played, if he had it again, potentially he takes a different option. 

"He's one we definitely want for the future, when he gets to the stage where he can press for a top-six batting spot, who knows? But that's what we see for him."

Smith also had high hopes for Connolly.

"He's got a bright future, there's no doubting that," he said.

Qantas Tour of Sri Lanka

First Test: Australia win by an innings and 242 runs

Second Test: Australia win by nine wickets

Sri Lanka Test squad: Dhananjaya de Silva (c), Dimuth Karunaratne, Pathum Nissanka (subject to fitness), Oshada Fernando, Lahiru Udara, Dinesh Chandimal, Angelo Mathews, Kamindu Mendis, Kusal Mendis, Sadeera Samarawickrama, Sonal Dinusha, Prabath Jayasuriya, Jeffrey Vandersay, Nishan Peiris, Asitha Fernando, Vishwa Fernando, Lahiru Kumara, Milan Rathnayake

Australia Test squad: Steve Smith (c), Sean Abbott, Scott Boland, Alex Carey, Cooper Connolly, Travis Head (vc), Josh Inglis, Usman Khawaja, Matt Kuhnemann, Marnus Labuschagne, Nathan Lyon, Nathan McSweeney, Todd Murphy, Mitchell Starc, Beau Webster

First ODI: February 12, Colombo (3.30pm AEDT)

Second ODI: February 14, Colombo (3.30pm AEDT)

Sri Lanka ODI squad: TBC

Australia ODI squad: Sean Abbott, Alex Carey, Cooper Connolly, Ben Dwarshuis, Nathan Ellis, Jake Fraser-McGurk, Aaron Hardie, Travis Head, Josh Inglis, Spencer Johnson, Marnus Labuschagne, Glenn Maxwell, Tanveer Sangha, Matthew Short, Steve Smith, Mitchell Starc, Adam Zampa