Subhayan Chakraborty at the Melbourne Cricket Ground
It was an evenly fought opening day of the Boxing Day Test between India and Australia at the Melbourne Cricket Ground, where Sam Konstas, the 19-year-old debutant, made an eye-catching introduction. He played a scintillating knock to take the Indian pacers to the cleaners. All of Australia’s top four also scored fifties, guiding the hosts to 311/6 at stumps.
Konstas sprinted to the middle for the start of play, but not before smiling his way through the national anthem. His decision to take a strike for Jasprit Bumrah’s first ball of the day was brave, particularly because the young man had yet to showcase his character on the international stage.
Facing his 11th delivery from Jasprit Bumrah, arguably the best modern-day bowler, Konstas attempted a reverse ramp but missed completely. At that point, he was on two runs, with Bumrah testing him with some probing deliveries in the channel. The next over, Bumrah bowled a maiden, and in the first 18 deliveries Konstas faced from Bumrah, he managed just two runs. However, off the next two balls against India’s ace pacer, the cricketing world saw why Konstas is one of the most talked-about youngsters in the Australian cricket scene.
For the Latest Sports News: Click Here
Bumrah delivered a full ball, and Konstas played a traditional ramp for four. The most audacious stroke, perhaps the shot of the day, came on the following delivery when Bumrah again bowled full, and Konstas reverse-ramped it for a six. He had done the same to Prasidh Krishna in the warm-up match in Canberra, but to execute it against Bumrah, armed with a new ball, showed significant courage. It was after 4,484 deliveries that Bumrah had been hit for a six in the longest format.
“That’s definitely pre-meditated, especially with the pace,” Konstas said with a smile at the press conference after the close of play. “I try to keep my head still and watch the ball till the last moment. Today, I got a few ways to make them change the field, which was good, then tried to make them bowl to my zones.”
“However, one of the biggest talking points of the game so far came after the 10th over when Virat Kohli took a slight diversion to bump into Konstas, leading to an exchange of words. This incident resulted in a 20 percent match-fee fine and a demerit point for Kohli. “I was just adjusting my gloves when Kohli accidentally bumped into me,” Konstas explained.
Konstas didn’t succumb to Kohli’s intimidation tactics, charging the Indian pacers to reach his maiden Test half-century in a scintillating fashion. More than just his strokeplay, it was his demeanour. When Mohammed Siraj had his moment and was promptly hit for a boundary, Konstas jogged down the pitch, glaring at the bowler. He tapped the Australian crest on his bat after reaching his 50, then pointed to his name on the back of his shirt.
“For me, I was just trying to get into the contest, to bring out the best version of myself,” he said. “I feel that brings the best out of me.
”Although Ravindra Jadeja eventually dismissed Konstas for 60, the 19-year-old showed tremendous promise for the future.
India’s bowlers seemed somewhat flat after Bumrah’s initial overs, as all four of the Australian top four scored half-centuries. Marnus Labuschagne scored 72. However, post-tea, India’s vice-captain had other plans, dismissing Travis Head for a duck with a delivery that hit the top of off stump before sending Mitchell Marsh back for 4. Steve Smith and Alex Carey frustrated the Indians further with a 53-run stand until Akash Deep took Carey’s wicket with the second new ball.
Also Read: Pat Cummins and Australia team in transition hope to avoid Tim Paine-like fate