On this day, December 26,2024: 19 Year old Sam Konstas made his Test debut against India at MCG. The 19-year-old opener, Australia men’s youngest Test batting debutant since 1953, smashed 60 from 65 balls, featuring six fours and two sixes. Sam Konstas got off the mark at the start of Bumrah’s second over, before attempting a reverse ramp shot with just the 11th ball he had faced in Test cricket, much to the delight of the Melbourne crowd. The teenager continued to show no fear, ramping Bumrah for four, six, four in the same over and attempting to charge Mohammed Siraj, prompting some choice words and a fiery stare from the India quick.
The first attempt by Sam Konstas at a ramp shot did not go well. In the windy heat of the MCG on Boxing Day, a swing and a miss was met with a wry grin from Jasprit Bumrah. At the non-striker’s end, Usman Khawaja cracked a smile looking at the fearless nature. He then clashed shoulders with former India skipper Kohli at the end of the 10th over, with the players exchanging words before Khawaja and the two umpires calmed the situation down. It was one of the most talked about moment of the day was Kohli barging into Konstas after the Australian had clubbed the India bowlers around the ground. Kohli appeared to change direction to make contact with Konstas, who was walking down the pitch to speak to his opening batting partner Khawaja.
Sam Konstas was unruffled, smashing Bumrah for 18 in the next over and geeing up the crowd to keep up the noise, before reaching his fifty with two off Siraj. Bumrah finished his first spell with a barely believable none for 38 from six overs, conceding at more than a run a ball. By the time the opener walked from the field, lbw for 60 from Ravindra Jadeja, he had hit Bumrah out of the attack. An eventful 90-minute innings came to an end when he fell to Jadeja, but left the field to a rapturous reception.
Sam Konstas may have backed away against Bumrah to launch him over the slip cordon, but he stood his ground as he stared down Kohli or, in another flashpoint, when Mohammed Siraj gave him words. It was a memorable debut for him. In a critical moment of a Test series that will define this generation of Australian players, selectors had taken a risk with giving a debut to 19 year old and he repaid the faith with a counter attacking knock . The Border-Gavaskar was poised at 1-1 at Konstas took the risk and it paid off.
