Cricket Australia sends Sam Konstas to India in rare move to find form ahead of Ashes

Teen enigma Sam Konstas is being sent to India in a rare move from Cricket Australia in what is a desperate effort to get form into him before the Ashes.

The 19-year-old looms as a key piece of the Test batting puzzle but he has struggled for form since bursting onto the scene in a chaotic debut against India in December.

He belted 60 against the fast bowling mastery of Jasprit Bumrah to rattle the Indians and get Aussie cricket fans off their seats.

READ MORE: 'Get out of your room': Fittler reacts to sad Hynes admission

READ MORE: Why last night was 'not a good sign' for Voss

READ MORE: Gould's huge call on 'relaxed' Eels under rookie coach

But he's done little to write home about since. Konstas opened the batting in all three Tests against the West Indies last month but returned just 50 runs at 8.33 across the series.

Cricket Australia wants him to become the next long-term Test opener and ideally he will cement his spot atop the order before England arrives Down Under in November.

Konstas was on Thursday named in a 14-player Australia A squad which will head to India for two four-day matches next month.

A statement from head office said the aim was to "develop sub-continent experience and exposure across the longer term while allowing for preparation for the domestic summer".

It's almost unheard of to pick a Test incumbent in an Australia A - effectively reserves - squad, and it is a clear ploy to get as much red ball cricket into Konstas as possible.

The players will be back in Australia before the domestic season kicks off.

"The sub-continent provides many unique challenges and the opportunity to utilise different skills with bat and ball," chief selector George Bailey said.

"We hope repeated experiences in these conditions will assist players in developing an effective method and understanding of their game for future sub-continent tours."

Konstas is not the only Test hopeful heading to India with the aim of pushing their credentials ahead of the Ashes.

Fellow top-order batter Nathan McSweeney also made his debut in the baggy green last summer and remains a live chance of nabbing a spot in the Australian team.

Spin bowlers Todd Murphy and Cooper Connolly have both tasted Test cricket, while fast bowlers Xavier Bartlett, Lance Morris, and Fergus O'Neill are vying to one day fill the shoes of the likes of Josh Hazlewood, Mitchell Starc, and Pat Cummins in the Test team.

AUSTRALIA A FOUR-DAY SQUAD

Xavier Bartlett, Cooper Connolly, Jack Edwards, Aaron Hardie, Campbell Kellaway, Sam Konstas, Nathan McSweeney, Lance Morris, Todd Murphy, Fergus O'Neill, Oliver Peake, Josh Philippe, Corey Rocchiccioli, Liam Scott.

AUSTRALIA A ONE-DAY SQUAD

Cooper Connolly, Harry Dixon, Jack Edwards, Sam Elliott, Jake Fraser-McGurk, Aaron Hardie, Mackenzie Harvey, Todd Murphy, Tanveer Sangha, Liam Scott, Lachie Shaw, Tom Straker, Will Sutherland, Callum Vidler.