Out-of-sorts Marnus holds spot, Connolly 'an option'

Steve Smith insists Marnus Labuschagne is on the cusp of a big score as the lukewarm No.3 was spared the axe for the second Test against Sri Lanka.

Australia are set to name the same batting attack that won the first Test, but will wait until "the last minute" to confirm their bowling attack on a Galle wicket expected to turn plenty.

Smith would not rule out young allrounder Cooper Connolly earning a whirlwind Test debut as Australia push to confirm a 2-0 series win from Thursday.

"It's possible, all options are on the table," stand-in captain Smith said from the team's beachside resort.

"We're going to leave it late but we've got the resources here if we need."

Labuschagne was the sole specialist batter to miss out in Australia's rollicking first-Test win, caught behind on 20 as Smith, Usman Khawaja and Josh Inglis tonned up.

Legspinner Jeffrey Vandersay notably troubled Labuschagne before claiming his wicket, with the Queenslander averaging 31.6 since the start of 2023.

Labuschagne has made only one score above 100 in his last 49 Test innings but hit two valuable half-centuries in the tight MCG victory against India over the summer.

Eyebrows were raised when Labuschagne batted away from his fellow specialists at training on Tuesday, but the No.3's spot is not in doubt for the Sri Lanka series finale.

"I can't see the top six changing, I daresay that'll be the same," said Smith.

"(Labuschagne) played nicely at the back end of the summer, he looked like he was putting the pressure on the bowlers a little bit more.

"The more difficult the wicket is in terms of how much it's spinning, the more aggressive you have to be with your batting and the more proactive you have to be.

"He understands that, he understands spin and angles as good as anyone. I don't think he's far away from a good score."

Australia expects the wicket could turn even more than in the triumphant series opener, when sole left-arm spinner Matt Kuhnemann took the most scalps of any bowler.

While Travis Head and Beau Webster are part-time right-arm options, Connolly is the only other left-armer in the squad and bowled considerable overs in the nets earlier this week.

Head took 4-10 at Galle in 2022 and is favoured ahead of Webster, who has bowled pace more than spin in recent years and was not thrown the ball in the first Test.

Connolly could come into the team for Webster if conditions point to favouring left-arm off-spin.

"(He's) another batter that bowls more than handy spin and spins the same way as Kuhnemann. We've got a few that go the same way as Nathan (Lyon) and Todd, (Murphy)" Smith said.

"We're going to leave it until the last minute (to decide)."

But Smith would also not guarantee Murphy's place in the XI after middling match figures of 1-85 in the first Test.

"Everything's on the cards," Smith said.

"Todd, watching him bowl in the nets the other day after the first Test and before this one, he bowled beautifully.

"He's taken a couple of learnings out of the last game, which he can continue to take if selected."

Smith said Connolly's lack of first-class experience would not necessarily work against him; the 21-year-old is a batter first and has not taken a wicket in his 16 first-class overs for Western Australia.

"It's entirely different, the way you bowl (in the subcontinent)," said Smith.

"He was pretty consistent when he was bowling in Dubai and in the nets here. That's kind of all you've got to do in these conditions, just try and bowl as many good balls in a good area and let the conditions take over."