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It wasn’t just Konstas’ batting that stole the show, but his lively personality and bold approach also caught the eye of everyone including Australian skipper Pat Cummins.
Sam Konstas made a blockbuster start to his Test career. (AP Photo)
Having taken the world by surprise with his aggressive approach in the Boxing Day Test, Sam Konstas garnered high praise from Australia skipper Pat Cummins, who backed the youngster to stick to his guns for the final Test of the Border-Gavaskar Trophy set to start tomorrow in Sydney.
The 19-year-old Konstas made his debut after Australia dropped Nathan McSweeney for the fourth Test. The teenager, who was part of Australia’s U19 ODI World Cup winning squad earlier this year, made quite an impression on debut hitting an aggressive half-century.
During the Boxing Day Test at Melbourne, the young opener made an instant impact by smashing 60 off 65 balls in the first innings in a match-winning effort, as Australia triumphed by 184 runs over India on Monday.
Konstas’ audacious scoops and laps off Indian pacer Jasprit Bumrah had fans buzzing, earning the young batter widespread recognition and providing his team with a crucial advantage in the fourth Test.
It wasn’t just his batting that stole the show, but his lively personality and bold approach also caught the eye of everyone including Australian skipper Pat Cummins.
“I think he showed how adaptable he can be. That takes a lot of skill, first of all. We always encourage our players to read the moment and play how they see fit,” Cummins stated.
“So, for Sam, he sensed the moment was to attack and put pressure back on the bowlers, and he did that. It might be different this week.
“It might be, ‘I’m going to play a slower game’ and score runs that way. So our message is always just to back yourself, have really clear plans, and back your decision-making,” Cummins added.
Konstas was also involved in a lively exhange with Indian talisman batter Virat Kohli, as the duo brushed shoulders (literally) and exchanged a few words before Usman Khawaja and the on-field umpire stepped in to deescalate the situation.
The confrontation drew the attention of match referee Andy Pycroft who slapped Kohli with a fine of 20 per cent of his match fee besides adding a demerit point to the Indian cricketer’s disciplinary record.
The fifth and final Test will be held in Sydney from January 3.
(with inputs from agencies)
