Young Australian batter Sam Konstas is aiming for a more measured approach on his return to the national Test side for the upcoming series opener against the West Indies in Bridgetown, starting Wednesday.
Konstas, who made headlines during his dramatic debut against India in last year’s Boxing Day Test with an aggressive fifty, replaces Marnus Labuschagne at the top of the order. Known for his audacious strokeplay, the top-order batter is now focused on refining his game.
“I still find it hard to believe,” Konstas told Australian media, reflecting on his debut performance. “I’m not sure what I was thinking at the time — it just felt right in the moment. The atmosphere, the crowd… it was all quite emotional. It was great fun, but looking back and taking some time off has really helped me refocus and work on strengthening my game. Hopefully, we can get a win in this Test.”
Konstas ready to make the opportunity count
Since his last appearance in the Border-Gavaskar Trophy, Konstas hasn’t featured in a Test match. Australia have played two Tests against Sri Lanka and the World Test Championship final against South Africa in that period, but Konstas now finds himself back in the fold as the team begins a new WTC cycle.
“I’m really excited to be back and want to make the most of the opportunity. I’ve put in a lot of hard work and understand why other players were chosen in the previous matches. My focus now is to stay present, work closely with my batting coach, and apply the improvements I’ve made. I feel I’ve grown a lot, and I hope to show that in the upcoming games,” he added.
With Steve Smith sidelined due to injury and Labuschagne dropped, Konstas is expected to open the innings alongside Usman Khawaja as Australia kick off their new WTC campaign with a fresh batting line-up.
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