Test prospects Sam Konstas and Cameron Bancroft have been dismissed for batting for Australia A, a major blow to their international ambitions.

Marcus Harris, another contender for the vacant top spot, also failed to capitalize after getting a start on day one against India A in Mackay before falling for 17.

The adopted Victorian, who last played a Test in January 2022, had a life just after tea when he was dropped at third slip.

But the left-hander fell soon after while playing a half-off shot and was run out by Indian seamer Prasidh Krishna.

Australia captain Nathan McSweeney, who bats at No. 3 for South Australia and is another contender to fill the Test opening void, is doing a better job of making his case after coming to bat at No. 4 .

The patient McSweeney remained unbeaten on 29, fending off 110 balls to help Australia A to 4-99.

Young Western Australian all-rounder Cooper Connolly (14*) will join McSweeney at the crease for the start of day two on Friday.

After India A made 107 first batting in Mackay, NSW teenager Konstas lasted just three balls in his first audition for Test honours.

Konstas has enjoyed a stunning start to the Sheffield Shield season as his name emerged with a ball as a possible partner to Usman Khawaja at the top of the order.

But Konstas, who was favored as Marcus Harris’ opening partner for Australia A against Bancroft and McSweeney, fell to Mukesh Kumar scoreless in the first round.

Bancroft’s poor start to the summer continued when he went for a duck against Krishna after facing 14 balls.

The West Australian, who has been in the Test wilderness since the 2019 Ashes, has dominated the Sheffield Shield for the past two seasons but is suffering a dip in form at the worst possible time.

Newly re-signed Australia coach Andrew McDonald has dismissed suggestions the Australia A “bat-off” will completely decide who partners Khawaja in the first Test against India in Perth next month.

“There is a lot of context and consideration around all the work of senior players Marcus Harris and Cameron Bancroft,” McDonald said on Thursday.

“Obviously Sam Konstas hasn’t been able to get all that work behind him because of the limited-overs Shield cricket he’s played, and Nathan McSweeney is somewhere in the middle of that.

“You take Sam for example, he’s had limited experience in Perth and then obviously up to the Gabba, so there are incredible challenges for players who have never played in these conditions before, but that doesn’t mean that he can’t do that either – he learns quickly.

“Marcus Harris – of course it wasn’t that long ago (December 2021) that he played a blinding innings here (at the MCG) against England.”

South Australian quick Brendan Doggett was the unexpected star of the first day, destroying India A with 6-15 from 11 overs.