Australia’s Sam Konstas bats on the first day of the Boxing Day Test between Australia and India at the Melbourne Cricket Ground. (AP Photo)
Sam Konstas had a debut to remember at Melbourne Cricket Ground after scoring a 65-ball 60 in his first international game for Australian cricket team.
While his altercation with Virat Kohli after a shoulder barge from the Indian cricket team talisman will garner all the headlines, Sam Konstas did play a few audacious shots against Indian pace spearhead Jasprit Bumrah.
He scored 18 runs in the 11th over of Australia’s innings, which was the most expensive over of Jasprit Bumrah’s Test career.
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What Ravi Shastri said about Sam Konstas vs Jasprit Bumrah
“I don’t think anyone’s taken or treated Jasprit Bumrah like that in any format of the game, let alone red-ball cricket. For Sam Konstas to go out there with that swag and attempt some outrageous shots: it was something else. He tore that MCC coaching manual to shreds. At one point, it felt like India had run out of ideas. They actually didn’t know what hit them. Initially, he missed the first two shots, and there was a smile on the faces of the Indian players. They thought, ‘If he takes chances, we’ll get him quickly.’ But as soon as this started happening, all the smiles disappeared. The ideas disappeared,” Shastri said on Star Sports.
Shastri added: “I’d say he’ll have his odd failures with the way he plays and the chances he takes. It reminds me a lot of Virender Sehwag when he first burst onto the scene. He’ll entertain when he gets going, and he’s born to entertain. If he plays for any length of time for Australia, he’ll do exactly that.”
Former Australia cricketer Justin Langer praised Sam Konstas but also revealed how the Indians had under-estimated Sam Konstas.
“Sam Konstas has been given a license to go and attack Bumrah, but that’s not easy. That is so hard to do. Even in T20 cricket, I think Bumrah’s economy rate is as good as anyone. So it’s not easy to do that. But the kid was bold, talking a good game, and then he came and put it into action. That’s what great players do. Anyone can talk a good game. He came and put it into action, and it was exciting to watch.
“He’s only played 11 first-class games, but I did speak to KL Rahul before the game. And I said, ‘Have you seen this kid Sam Konstas?’ And he goes, ‘Oh, we only saw him in the Prime Minister’s XI game (50 overs). He was playing these ramp shots and all this sort of stuff.’ Rahul said, ‘But he won’t do that today.’ And I said, ‘Yeah, sure he won’t do that today.’ And straight away, Sam Konstas was doing that,” Langar said on Star Sports.
Drop everything and get to 7plus to watch Sam Konstas’ first Test innings!
This is extraordinary!#AUSvIND pic.twitter.com/biblhTRBVw
— 7Cricket (@7Cricket) December 26, 2024
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Konstas’ plan vs India
Konstas had revealed that he had a plan for Jasprit Bumrah in a conversation with Fox Sports.
“I won’t watch too much (of him),” Konstas was quoted as saying by Fox Cricket. “I have already seen him a lot. But I am excited to challenge myself and face him. Usually, our analysts do a little feedback on each bowler. I might read that, maybe,” he said.
“I do (have a plan for Bumrah). I’m not going to say what it is, but (I will) just be trying to put pressure back onto the bowler. They are all very good bowlers. Obviously, they’re the best in the world, but I’m looking forward to the challenge, and hopefully I’ll get to experience that this week,” he had said.
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