Sam Konstas’ flatulence wasn’t on anyone’s Ashes squad announcement bingo card when head selector George Bailey fronted a press conference on the Gold Coast on Wednesday.

“I feel for Sammy,” Bailey told reporters, just minutes after informing the 20-year-old batsman he had been axed from the Australian Test team ahead of the opening Ashes clash in Perth in 16 days’ time.

“I feel like at the moment, if he farts, it’s a headline.”

Since Boxing Day last year, when he blazed 60 off 65 balls and ramped India’s Jasprit Bumrah like it was a game of backyard cricket, Konstas has been a lightning rod for attention.

There has been no shortage of headlines, but the clicks tell the story – Australia remains fascinated by Konstas and whether he’ll ever live up to the hype.

Scores of 4, 14, 0, 53,

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