Sam Konstas has become an instant hero to Australian sports fans after he made one of the most remarkable starts to his international career by boldly taking on India in front of 90,000 fans at the MCG on Thursday.
The 19-year-old showed nerves of steel on debut by attacking Jasprit Bumrah, the world’s number one bowler who took 21 wickets during the first three Tests to repeatedly destroy Australia’s top order, in the Boxing Day Test. .
Bumrah failed to take a wicket during the first session as Australia went to lunch at 1-112 with Usman Khawaja (38) and Marnus Labuschagne (12) unbeaten.
Konstas’ talent has allowed Khawaja, 19 years his senior, to find form and achieve his highest score of the series.
Konstas was out lbw for 60 off 65 balls, 30 minutes before lunch to star Ravindra Jadeja, but not before putting together an innings that will go down in Australian cricket history.
His impressive knock prompted Australians and pundits, including West Indies great Ian Bishop, to hail the innings as one of the greatest debuts they had ever seen, with one fan even calling for his image to be added to the club’s currency. nation.
Sam Konstas is shown pulling the Australian emblem on his jersey after scoring 50 off just 52 balls during his Test debut on Boxing Day at the MCG.
West Indies cricket legend Ian Bishop was impressed by the 19-year-old’s performance.
One fan was so impressed that she asked for Konstas’ image to be put on Australian currency.
Konstas, who replaced dropped opener Nathan McSweeney, survived a brutal first over from Bumrah, when he bowled and missed four times, to rock India.
The 19-year-old’s first runs, two from his legs, were hailed as if he had reached a milestone, before he launched himself in extraordinary fashion.
Konstas took India’s all-rounder for 14 runs, including six, from an astonishing one that came from ramp shots.
By the ninth over, India had once again put the fielders out of bounds in a bid to tame the attacking attitude of the New South Wales whiz kid.
Virat Kohli, one of India’s most famous cricketers, collided with the teenager during a dramatic incident at mid-wicket at the start of the 10th over.
Khawaja tried to calm the situation by putting his arm around Kohli and laughing, but the match referee will closely examine the incident.
A villain of Australian crowds this summer, India fast bowler Mohammed Siraj, fired words at Konstas several times, but he remained unfazed.
Konstas shocked the crowd and left India shaken when he started smashing the world’s best bowler Jasprit Bumrah with incredible ramp shots (pictured).
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Konstas and Khawaja’s score of 89 was the highest by an Australian opening pair during this series.
The fearless right-hander reached fifty in just 52 balls with a variety of shots rarely attempted at the Test level, especially by a young debutant.
Konstas, the country’s 468th cricketer, received his baggy green cap from historic former Australia captain Mark Taylor.
He is the fourth-youngest Australian to play at Test level.
Konstas’ innings evoked memories of former star opener David Warner’s international debut, at the MCG against South Africa in 2009.
But while Warner did it in a Twenty20, Konstas made his mark on the biggest day of the Australian cricket calendar when the Border-Gavaskar series is still delicately poised at 1-1.
Earlier, Australia captain Pat Cummins won the toss and decided to bat first, with the temperature expected to rise to 39 degrees on Thursday.
Australia must win at least one of the last two Tests and prevent India from winning again to regain the Border-Gavaskar trophy.
Cummins was 18 when he made his test debut and has instilled in Konstas the need to enjoy the moment and not feel overwhelmed.
“There’s a level of naivety, that you just want to go out and play, like you did when you were a kid in the backyard,” Cummins said.
Anthony Albanese joined the chorus of praise for Australian cricket’s brightest young star
“You always want to do well. I was saying this to Sammy the other day, I remember when I was 18 thinking ‘I have a lot more leeway because I was young’ almost publicly.
“I almost felt that if I hadn’t played a great game, it wasn’t my fault, it was the selectors’ fault for picking me… they’re the idiots who picked an 18-year-old.”
Travis Head, Australia’s most important player, passed a physical on Christmas morning and is in the squad, while Scott Boland replaces the injured Josh Hazlewood.
Boland returns to his homeland and the site of his famous Test debut when he thrashed England for 6-7.
Tourists have fond memories of the MCG, winning their last two Tests there and not losing at the venue since 2011.
India dropped star No.3 Shubman Gill and brought in all-rounder Washington Sundar as second spinner to support Ravindra Jadeja.
Under-fire captain Rohit Sharma will return to the top of the order after batting at No. 6 in Adelaide and Brisbane.