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The unbridled confidence Konstas exuded reminded former Indian coach Ravi Shastri of a very similar opener who made a living off being an absolute nightmare for opening bowlers: Virender Sehwag.
![Sam Konstas in action [Photo: AP]](https://images.news18.com/ibnlive/uploads/2021/07/1627283897_news18_logo-1200x800.jpg?impolicy=website&width=360&height=270 "Sam Konstas in action [Photo: AP]"){kind=logo}
Sam Konstas in action [Photo: AP]
There are multiple ways to make an impact on a debut. But, perhaps knocking Jasprit Bumrah around the park at will surely rank very high on the list. That is exactly what Aussie opener Sam Konstas went on to do, prompting Ravi Shastri to see shades of the legendary Virender Sehwag in him.
At 19 years of age, Konstas was picked up as a replacement for Nathan McSweeney, who failed to impress in the first handful of Tests, and it took little time for the swashbuckling youngster to let his presence be known for all.
The right-handed batter from New South Wales took Indian bowlers to the cleaners in the first session of Day 1’s play of the Boxing Day Test at the Melbourne Cricket Ground and slammed 60 runs from just 65 balls with the help of six fours and two sixes.
He went on to hammer star Indian pacer Jasprit Bumrah for a four and a six on the first two deliveries. Konstas, who failed to play a reverse scoop against the world No. 1 Test bowler in his first few balls, successfully managed to connect the ball on back-to-back deliveries.
The six that he smacked against the 31-year-old right-arm pacer on the second ball of the seventh over was the first six Bumrah conceded since the New Year Test in 2021.
The unbridled confidence Konstas exuded reminded former Indian coach Ravi Shastri of a very similar opener who made a living off being an absolute nightmare for opening bowlers: Virender Sehwag.
“I don’t think anyone’s taken or treated Bumrah like that in any format of the game, let alone red-ball cricket. For him 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…The ideas disappeared,” Shastri expressed on Star Sports.
“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 Australian head coach Justin Langer agreed with Shastri’s judgment, praising the young Konstas for putting his money where his mouth was, and taking on the ace pacer.
“He’s been given a license to go and attack Bumrah, but that’s not easy—that is so hard to do… 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,” Langer exclaimed.
By scoring two sixes against Bumrah, Konstas added his name to the history books as he became only the second player after Jos Buttler to score multiple maximums against Bumrah in an innings of a Test match.
Konstas also became the second youngest Aussie to score fifty in Test cricket.
