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According to Sydney Morning Herald, the Australian selectors "have chosen to send Konstas home early so he can play" in the first round of Shield games after the Big Bash League, as he has never played a first-class match in Brisbane before.
Young opening batter Sam Konstas is leaving Australia's tour of Sri Lanka and flying back home to play in New South Wales' next Sheffield Shield game against Queensland at the Gabba.
The Australian media have reported that the decision to send back Konstas was taken after it became clear that the 19-year-old batter would not be considered for selection in the second Test against Sri Lanka.
Konstas, who made headlines with his unorthodox shots on debut against a Jasprit Bumrah-led Indian pace bowling attack in Melbourne last December, returned to hotel after Australia's training session on Tuesday and started packing his bag for his flight back home.
According to Sydney Morning Herald, the Australian selectors "have chosen to send Konstas home early so he can play" in the first round of Shield games after the Big Bash League, as he has never played a first-class match in Brisbane before.
The game between NSW and Queensland starts on Saturday.
"That's the plan. Hopefully, I can be back for the first game," Konstas was quoted as saying by the leading daily.
"It's been a huge honour being in the squad and learning from the likes of Travis Head, Steve Smith, Usman Khawaja, the way they go about it. And obviously having experience in the Asian continent in Dubai.
"It's been about understanding what works in these conditions, and hopefully I can emulate that after I get back to Sydney. Understanding your strengths and trying to do it for as long as possible in these conditions."
Konstas did not feature in the opening Test against Sri Lanka, which Australia won by an innings and 242 runs.
He was okay with not getting a chance to play in the series opener, as the Australian selectors brought up the in-form Head to open the innings.
"I totally understood the decision (not to play in the first Test), Travis Head's a legend of the game and he's been dominating in these conditions up top," Konstas said.
"So for me it was trying to get exposure to Dubai, Sri Lanka, try to learn and I feel like I learned quite a bit about things if I do play in the subcontinent. That's basically it," he said.
The swashbuckling Head, however, made it clear that he will go back to the middle-order before the World Test Championship (WTC) final against South Africa later this year with Konstas likely getting the opener's role.
"Most likely I'll go back into the middle order (for the World Test Championship) and Sam would open, but I'm glad I'm not a selector," Head told reporters on Tuesday.
"Josh has had an amazing start, guys are playing well, Greeny's (Cameron Green) going to be fit. So it's going to be hard to fit in and I think that's what we want."
"We want an Australian cricket team that's tough to get in, where everyone's pushing for spots. That's where the pressure comes, trying to hold your spot every Test knowing there's people behind you.
"So were in a strong position. It's better having seven or eight batters talked about than three or four," Head added.