Last Updated on 4 weeks by Charbel Coorey
Ah, the beauty of youth. The fearlessness. Living without thinking of the consequences.
Sam Konstas arrived on Boxing Day, and how. The Australian selectors called for a different approach to the magnificent Jasprit Bumrah, who has had the better of Australia’s top three in this series. But, surely even they couldn’t have expected this.
After Konstas was beaten numerous times in his opening nine balls, he brought out the reverse ramp against Bumrah, with the ball flying closely over middle and off stump. The tens of thousands at the MCG, plus the commentators, were stunned. This isn’t meant to happen on the first day of a Boxing Day Test. A 19-year-old, on debut, treated the occasion as it was a Christmas backyard match with his family.
Konstas tried ramping again with no luck, but it didn’t stop him. In the seventh over, Konstas scooped and reverse-scooped his way to 14 against Bumrah. He bettered it in the 11th, taking the great bowler for 18, backing away to leg and accessing the ‘V’ and gully region.
India were stunned. Mohammed Siraj had a sledge, and Konstas responded with charging down the track and launching him over midwicket. Also, in one of the moments of the day, Virat Kohli barged into Konstas, confirming the impact the 19-year-old had in the opening exchanges.
Of course, such an approach can’t always come off. It’s frought with risk. Konstas’ contol percentage was 56.9. But, to take on Bumrah the way he did – without thinking of the negative reactions had he been dismissed trying to reverse scoop – took guts. Australia’s top order had been drowning against Bumrah and Konstas took it upon himself to turn the tide.
“I’ll look to keep targeting him,” Konstas said about Bumrah to Fox Cricket during the first drinks break. “Hopefully he might come back on.” A remarkable mindset indeed.
Sam Konstas produces memorable innings on Test debut
In the end, Konstas finished with 60 off 65 balls, enabling the struggling Usman Khawaja and Marnus Labuschagne to get into their innings without worrying about the run rate. Both made half centuries of their own.
Many – including Australian Prime Minster Anthony Albanese – reacted to Konstas’ innings which set up the day for the hosts in this crucial Boxing Day Test.
Along with Konstas, Khawaja and Labuschagne, Steve Smith also hit a half-century and ended day one on 68*. India brought things back to reduce Australia to 311/6, but the hosts will be the happier of the teams given the runs on the board and assistance for the bowlers with the new ball.
