The talented batter once seemed a sure thing but after one Test and a series of concussions, cricket fans look set to be left wanting so much more

There has been a spike in interest in the Sheffield Shield this spring – queues snaking around the MCG concourse, world-class lineups and genuine rivalries taking shape, and a lift in media coverage. Much of the intrigue has centred on the Test opening spot – a mix of the anointed, the speculative and the maligned. As helpful as ever, David Warner spruiked his wares. It landed like a shot put. “This is a drive-by shooting from a bloke in a clown car,” veteran cricket journalist Peter Lalor called it.

The contenders will audition again at the hallowed Great Barrier Reef Arena in Mackay. Nathan McSweeney will captain Australia A against India A, in another sign that he is being groomed as a future leader. But McSweeney has never averaged more than 35 in a Shield season, and there are still doubts on whether he has the technique of a Test opener. Sam Konstas is preternaturally talented, but only just turned 19.