Sam Konstas continues to make all the right noises. The opening batter made the Indian bowling attack look pedestrian during the rain-affected pink-ball warm-up match at Manuka Oval, Canberra on Sunday (December 1, 2024). The 19-year-old played a scintillating knock to help the Prime Minister's XI post 240 runs in 43.2 overs against the Indian ensemble. (Full Coverage | More Cricket News)
After India's win in the Border-Gavaskar Trophy 2024-25 opener in Perth, all eyes were fixated on the Australian camp. The hosts were dismissed twice, 104 and 238 as the Jasprit Bumrah-led India cantered to a 295-run win. Except for Travis Head, who made a counter-attacking 89 in the second innings, none of the Aussie batters made an impression.
Trailing 0-1 in the five-match series, Australia drafted a few youngsters into the Prime Minister's XI side for the two-day Canberra tune-up, a veritable audition ahead of the second BGT Test in Adelaide, starting December 6.
The opening day of the Prime Minister's XI vs India match was rained off, but when play finally started, India once again dominated. Mohammed Siraj and Akash Deep reduced the PM's XI to 22/2, but what followed was some fine display of ferocious hitting from a teenager.
Sam Konstas blasted a 90-ball century (107 off 97) under lights and delivered yet another statement to the Aussie selectors, that he is ready for the big leap. Australia are yet to finalise their squad for the second Test. And Konstas has made his case.
So, who is Sam Konstas?
Born on October 2, 2005, Konstas is a right-handed top-order batter who represents New South Wales in Australian domestic cricket. An Aussie of Greek origin, Konstas has found a dedicated mentor in former all-rounder Shane Watson. He was also a member of Australia's under-19 World Cup-winning team.
Konstas made his First-Class debut in November 2023 and joined Sydney Thunder in the Big Bash League (BBL) the same year. In October 2024, he hit twin FC centuries (152 and 105) against South Australia in a Sheffield Shield game to become the youngest Aussie since Ricky Ponting (in 1993) to achieve the feat.
In the run-up to the Adelaide Test, Kontas' name emerged as a possible option to partner Usman Khawaja at the top of the innings. Watson even termed the Aussie top-order crisis as "a perfect storm" for his ward to make a Test debut during the series.
"The whole situation is, in my mind, a perfect storm to be able to give him an opportunity to be able to play Test cricket," Watson told AAP. "For me, this is an opportune time, knowing that the bowlers are ageing, there's Steve Smith and Usman Khawaja as a starting point who are ageing."
Kontas didn't get the call-up as another youngster, Nathan McSweeney made his debut in the Perth Test. But it proved to be a baptism by fire for McSweeney as the 25-year-old South Australia all-rounder faced the wrath of India's stand-in skipper. And he failed, getting out twice for 10 and 0, both times to Bumrah.
The second BGT Test will be played at the Adelaide Oval from December 6 to 10, followed by the third game at The Gabba starting December 14 and the fourth post Christmas (December 26-30) in Melbourne. The fifth and final Test will played in the New Year from January 3 to 7 at the Sydney Cricket Ground. All the matches will be live streamed on the Disney+Hotstar app and website in India and telecast on the Star Sports Network TV channels in India.
