Australia's Sam Konstas bats during play on the first day of the fourth cricket test between Australia and India at the Melbourne Cricket Ground, Melbourne, Australia. (AP)Call it a exuberance of youth or the modern day batting, Australian debutant Sam Konstas has gone full T20 mode on his Test debut at the Boxing Day against Indian spearhead Jasprit Bumrah.
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After the 19-year-old missed out on the ramp shot twice early in his innings, he gets it right thrice in one over against Jasprit Bumrah. Konstas hit Bumrah for two boundaries and one six, with the ramp shots, which left commentators Mark Waugh, Adam Gilchirst and Ravi Shastri in disbelief.
This is as entertaining as it gets!
Debutant Sam Konstas with a wild introduction to Test Cricket.#AUSvINDhttps://t.co/1YTMEnPajw
— cricket.com.au (@cricketcomau) December 26, 2024
“I cannot believe this,” Mark Waugh said on air.
“He has gone all Bazball.
“He had said that he has got a plan against Jasprit Bumrah, but didn’t revealed it. This might be his way of taking down Bumrah,” he said.
Former India coach said: “He has done well to unsettle Bumrah and so far it has worked for Konstas.”
Konstas, 19, will became the youngest player ever to open the batting in a Test for Australia.
A bit of audacity!
Smiles everywhere as the 19-year-old Sam Konstas attempted to ramp Jasprit Bumrah very early in his debut 👀#AUSvIND pic.twitter.com/9I9urUnmuq
— cricket.com.au (@cricketcomau) December 25, 2024
After surviving a probing first over from Jasprit Bumrah, the debutant Konstas attempted to reverse ramp Bumrah over the slips cordon. He missed twice, prompting a baffled reaction from the Melbourne crowd, his opening partner Usman Khawaja and the world’s No. 1 ranked bowler Jasprit Bumrah as well.
However, he made the correction in the seventh over.
In the first ball of the over, Bumrah went straight and Konstas shuffled across the crease and flicked it straight over wicketkeeper Rishabh Pant’s head.
WHAT ARE WE SEEING!
Sam Konstas just whipped Jasprit Bumrah for six 😱#AUSvIND | #PlayOfTheDay | @nrmainsurance pic.twitter.com/ZuNdtCncLO
— cricket.com.au (@cricketcomau) December 26, 2024
Next ball, he reverse scooped it over the slip cordon for a six.
After a couple of dots, he’s done it again, this time he reverse scooped it down towards deep third man.
Earlier, while presenting the Baggy Green to Konstas, former Test captain Mark Taylor has said that youngster’s first challenge as an international cricketer will be to survive star paceman Jasprit Bumrah.
And Konstas did it with some style.
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