India vs Australia: Konstas signed autographs, posed for selfies, even offered to take a few himself so that the fans in the background, beyond the fence, could be captured better. (Express Photo by Sriram Veera)At one point during Sam Konstas’s dynamic hundred, Sarfaraz Khan crept up from the slip cordon to stand close to the stumps. Konstas was looking towards square-leg initially, and when he eventually turned, he was face to face with the Indian. Sarfaraz would lift his right leg in the air, contort his body one way to the other, and twirl his arms in a wild fashion. In the slips, Rohit Sharma doubled over cracking in laughter, as did Rishabh Pant.
Sarfaraz’s physical antics were in reference to some of the shots Konstas attempted during the knock. He would back away to slash, or unfurl lap-scoops over Pant’s head, or heave to the onside.
One couldn’t see what Konstas’ reaction was but his bat served up all the right answers on a day when he indicated to the national selectors that he could be an option in the near future.
“There is no message,” he said with a smile. “I am in a good headspace, and just want to keep batting like this. Hopefully, that day when I represent Australia will come soon.”
It’s difficult to really assess Konstas’ batting based on Sunday’s hundred. The pitch was flat in the afternoon, and the pink ball did nothing at all. But if confidence is the meter to judge, in particular the confidence to play his shots, Konstas scored high marks.
Aesthetics, though, won’t be a reason to watch him bat. He doesn’t have much to offer in that department, at least on the evidence on offer, but cricket at the highest level isn’t about how “beautiful” one’s batting is. But Konstas did come across as an effective risk-taker.
Another ton for Sam Konstas! 🔥
A sublime knock by the teenager against India #PMXIvIND pic.twitter.com/hZOnuRYbB8
— cricket.com.au (@cricketcomau) December 1, 2024
His batting technique is pretty simple and clear. He has a slightly open stance, front shoulder facing the non-striker, the back leg on middle-stump, the front leg on leg-and-middle, and he stays absolutely still.
There is one other trait; his hands are spread wide on the bat handle, more than usual, which brings to mind Faf du Plessis. He has a couple of looks at his hands on the handle in his stance, the bat held in the air, before looking at the bowler and staying very still. In the initial overs, with not much movement around, he defended without fuss, and at times without much foot movement.
As he sussed out the pitch, he changed his approach – he charged the Indian pacers, and with Harshit Rana slipping down the leg side a bit too much, and also short, he kept pulling him. The pulls were neat to watch; from the position he had at his crease, with a semi-open stance and not much movement, he would swiftly swivel to thump it up and over.
Konstas even went down on his right knee to smear Prasidh Krishna over midwicket: an audacious and skilful shot. One of the sparkling lap-scoops came against Akash Deep; the shot itself isn’t a rarity these days but the fluidity with which he hit, as if he was swatting a fly, was quite something. When he got his hundred, he took off his helmet, held his bat aloft and beamed a lovely smile.
Former Australian cricketers have been talking him up, from one of his mentors Shane Watson to Michael Clarke.
After the game, it was clear that he is a big hit with Australian fans. He signed autographs, posed for selfies, even offered to take a few himself so that the fans in the background, beyond the fence, could be captured better.
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