Excited to dare myself and face Bumrah-Konstas , a Cricbuzz User Verifies
Sam Konstas, Australia’s latest Test acquisition, is preparing to face the world’s top bowler in the format, Jasprit Bumrah, for the first time if he is named to the playing XI for the forthcoming Boxing Day Test at the MCG starting on December 26th. The 19-year-old was added to the squad at the expense of fellow opener Nathan McSweeney.
Konstas is full of optimism, but admits he will not overburden himself with footage of the Indian pacer. Despite a strong performance against India in the Prime Ministers’ XI’s pink-ball practice match in Canberra prior to the Adelaide Test, he did not get to face Bumrah, who sat out that game.
The MCG game will be his first encounter with a bowler who is averaging 10.90 this series and ha s 21 wickets in three Tests, seven more than the second bowler on the list.Ten of those 21 wickets came from Australia’s chosen top three: McSweeney, Usman Khawaja, and Marnus Labuschagne. Mitchell Marsh is the only batter in Australia’s top six who has not been dismissed by Bumrah so far this series.
“I won’t watch too much [of Bumrah],” Konstas said. “I have already seen him a lot. But Excited to dare myself and face Bumrah. Usually, our analysts do a little feedback on each bowler. I might read that, maybe.”
Konstas was in the running alongside McSweeney prior to the commencement of the series, having also run for Australia A in the buildup to the senior team’s series. McSweeney was preferred then, but having not got a big score in three Tests, the top selector brought in the change in the goal of throwing something unexpected at India, with the series on an equal keel at 1-1.
Konstas will bring with him the confidence of previous runs in the Sheffield Shield, and intended to view the MCG match as ‘simply another game’.
“I’m super confident,” he said. “Just backing my skills, I have done all the hard work. Just another game, I guess, and trying to keep it simple. As a kid you have always dreamt of the moment, and it is very rare, getting your baggy green. So it’s a huge honour if I do get in.” said Konstas
“It was all a bit unexpected, but very privileged to get the opportunity,” Konstas said. “I just had dinner with the family [to celebrate], pretty chilled. It was emotional, mum was crying … Everything has happened so fast,” Konstas said.
“Mum and dad and my brothers, all their sacrifices, taking me to training, throwing me balls, experiencing the journey through highs and lows. Just to give something back to them was very special. I can’t wait to have them in Melbourne for support,” he further added
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Sam Konstas, a young Australian cricketer, has had promising performances in a variety of formats. Here are his stats based on the available data:
First-Class Cricket (Sheffield Shield):
- Matches: Sam Konstas has played 9 matches in first-class cricket.
- Runs: He has scored a total of 577 runs.
- Highest Score: His highest score in a single innings stands at 152.
- Achievements: Notably, Konstas struck two centuries (152 and 105) against South Australia, a feat worthy of cricket legends.
List A Cricket:
- Matches: Konstas has played at least one List A match for New South Wales against South Australia.
Big Bash League (BBL):
- Performance: He scored the fastest fifty for the Sydney Thunder in BBL history, doing so off only 20 deliveries in his debut against the Adelaide Strikers.
Under-19 World Cup:
- Achievements: Konstas was a member of Australia’s successful 2024 Under-19 World Cup team, where he made a century against the West Indies, hitting 108 from 121 balls.
International Exposure:
- PM’s XI: Konstas hit 107 runs off 97 balls in a practice match against India for the Prime Minister’s XI in December 2024, demonstrating his international potential
These statistics demonstrate Sam Konstas’ quick development in cricket, particularly in domestic and young international competitions, paving the way for a promising future in the game.
