Umpire Sharfuddoula Saikat, centre, gestures to India’s Jasprit Bumrah, right, as he exchanges words with Australia’s Sam Konstas, left, during play on the first day of the fifth cricket test between India and Australia at the Sydney Cricket Ground, in Sydney, Australia, Friday, Jan. 3, 2025
| Photo Credit: AP
Australia’s teenage batting sensation Sam Konstas regrets his involvement in the stand-off with Jasprit Bumrah during the Border-Gavaskar Trophy, admitting he was only trying to waste time but ultimately, the Indian pace spearhead had the “last laugh”.
Konstas made an impact in the final two Tests of the series with his audacious strokeplay but also found himself at the centre of a couple of fiery exchanges with Indian stars Bumrah and Virat Kohli.
One such incident occurred on the opening day of the fifth Test, when Konstas had a heated run-in with Bumrah.
“I love being in the contest and always try to put my best foot forward,” Konstas told CODE Sports.
Near the end of the day’s play, Bumrah, looking to get in one more over, was met with resistance from the Australian players, who were trying to waste time. This led to a fiery exchange of words between Konstas and the Indian pacer.
Two deliveries later, Bumrah, who was leading the side in the absence of an off-colour Rohit Sharma, took the wicket of Usman Khawaja off the last ball.
After dismissing Khawaja, Bumrah walked in Konstas’ direction and stared him down.
Reflecting on the incident, Konstas admitted, “I feel like it’s probably a good learning for me. I was trying to waste a little bit of time there so they didn’t get another over. But he (Bumrah) had the last laugh.
“Obviously he is world class and he took, what, 32 wickets in the series.”
Konstas seems to have learned his lesson about not provoking the peerless pacer. “If that happened again, maybe I wouldn’t have said anything,” he said.
The teenager was also involved in an on-field exchange with Kohli, who shoulder-charged Konstas, followed by a heated verbal exchange between the two.
However, Konstas revealed that despite the incident, he later went to speak with his childhood hero Kohli.
“I had a little chat after the game telling him that I idolise him, and it’s obviously a huge honour playing against him,” Konstas said.
“When I did verse him, I was like, ‘wow, Virat Kohli is batting.’ He just had that presence about him, all the Indian crowd getting amongst it. Chanting his name. It was quite surreal”.
Konstas added that “He was very down to earth. A lovely person and just wishing me all the best saying hopefully I go well on the tour of Sri Lanka he said if I’m in.
“My whole family loves Virat. I’ve idolised him from a young age and he’s a legend of the game.”
Published – January 08, 2025 02:50 pm IST
