Sam Konstas hit Jasprit Bumrah for a reverse ramp six.© AFP
19-year-old Sam Konstas took the Border-Gavaskar Trophy Test series between India and Australia by storm, as he came out aggressively on debut and took the offence to the opposition attack, led by Jasprit Bumrah. Konstas played an ultra-aggressive 60 off 65 balls, taking Bumrah to the cleaners in two separate overs. The swashbuckling opener set the tone for Australia’s victory in the fourth Test in Melbourne, and even hit Bumrah for a reverse ramp shot six. His approach seemingly left one experienced Australia star rather stressed.
Steve Smith may be the most veteran Australian batter, and arguably the best, but he was not an immediate fan of Konstas’ bravado, as per teammate and pacer Mitchell Starc.
“It was quite something. For when he (Konstas) started doing it (ramp shots) we were all like ‘What is going on here? ‘What is this kid doing’?” Starc said, speaking on the Backstage with Cooper and Matty Johns podcast on the dressing room’s reaction to Konstas’ batting in the Boxing Day Test.
“But Steve Smith was stressed! Not hating, but saying, ‘This is bizarre. I’m done, cricket is past me, I’m too old for this’,” Starc shares.
Konstas hit Bumrah for 14 and 18 in two separate overs, and even got involved in a heated shoulder-barge episode with India stalwart Virat Kohli, which led to the latter being fined 20 per cent of his match fees and being handed one ICC demerit point.
Smith himself went on to score a stunning century (140 off 197 balls), helping Australia to a dominant total of 474. The hosts ultimately won by 184 runs.
Konstas, however, was dropped by Australia for the first Test of their tour of Sri Lanka, with Travis Head instead preferred to open alongside the experienced Usman Khawaja.
Smith is leading Australia in Sri Lanka in the absence of regular skipper Pat Cummins.
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