Sam Konstas' teammate reveals truth about MCG heroics amid telling call from Aussie great

Konstas' batting pyrotechnics might not have been as spur-of-the-moment as he said.

Sam Konstas' Sydney Thunder teammate Chris Green has challenged the assertion from the 19-year-old that his Boxing Day pyrotechnics against India were not premeditated. Konstas left the cricket world gobsmacked on the opening day of the fourth Test after taking on the world's best bowler, Jasprit Bumrah, with a series of audacious shots that were more akin to the BBL than Test match cricket.

The teenage Test debutant made a mockery of Bumrah's brilliance by belting him to the boundary using a series of unorthodox scoops and reverse paddle shots to leave viewers around the country in disbelief. It was a dashing and daring display from the opener, who effectively hit Bumrah out of the attack and saw the Indian quick concede a career-high 34 runs off one batter in a single session of Test cricket.

Sydney Thunder all-rounder Chris Green said he and teammates dared Sam Konstas to bring out the reverse paddle during the Boxing Day Test. Pic: Fox Cricket/Getty
Sydney Thunder all-rounder Chris Green said he and teammates dared Sam Konstas to bring out the reverse paddle during the Boxing Day Test. Pic: Fox Cricket/Getty

Even more incredible was the fact it came after an ugly run-in with Virat Kohli, who went out of his way to initiate contact with Konstas between a change of overs. Not even that seemed to faze the 19-year-old, who had the cheek to call for Bumrah to come back into the attack while speaking with Fox Cricket during a first session drinks break, having already made a dream half century on debut.

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“It’s quite surreal [I’m] just trying to play with freedom and just back myself. Hopefully I can get a few more," the Test rookie said while on 55 runs. Konstas then revealed his flashy array of unorthodox shots were not pre-meditated but rather a plan he identified to blunt the effectiveness of Bumrah, having played and missed a number of balls from the Indian quick early on.

However, Thunder all-rounder Green disputed that suggestion after joking that Konstas had been dared by teammates to use his iconic reverse ramp shot after being selected to make his Test debut on Boxing Day. "Absolutely loved it," Green said on Fox Cricket's coverage of the Sydney Sixers' win against Melbourne Stars in the BBL on Thursday night.

"And we had a conversation in the changerooms after the (BBL) game against the Sixers about what his game plan was, whether he was going to play the reverse ramp. We were egging him on going 'come on you've got to get it done, it's Boxing Day, 90,000 (in attendance at the MCG)' and jeez didn't he enjoy it. As did everyone else around the country, it was fantastic to see."

Former Aussie Test opener Simon Katich was among those around the country who couldn't get enough of watching Konstas bat on Boxing Day as the teenager provided a platform for the rest of Australia's top order to build on. Usman Khawaja, Marnus Labuschagne and Steve Smith all made half centuries off the back of Konstas' flashy start and Katich hailed the 19-year-old for going out and doing things his own way.

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"I guess at the end of the day he was encouraged to play that way and I think as long as he stays true to himself... he'd spoken about that being his shot and it being the best way to put Bumrah off that length... (then) at the end of the day, that's what's most important," Katich said on SEN radio. "Understanding what you're trying to do and then executing it and that's the most important part, the execution.

"If it doesn't come off it doesn't look great but he executed and in the end, he got the right result because before you knew it (India captain Rohit) Sharma had four men on the boundary and then he was able to milk ones. That's what I liked about it, for a young kid that's only 19 his strategy about then being able to rotate strike and get easy runs was really good."

Sam Konstas stunned the cricket world after continually reverse scooping Jasprit Bumrah and the Indian attack. Pic: Getty
Sam Konstas stunned the cricket world after continually reverse scooping Jasprit Bumrah and the Indian attack. Pic: Getty

Katich praised Pat Cummins and Aussie coach Andrew McDonald for giving Konstas the confidence to back himself and play his own game, but also the bravery of the 19-year-old to do it on Test debut in front of a packed house at the MCG. "I guess they (Australia's leaders) probably looked at the first three Tests and thought 'we've got nothing to lose, it hasn't really gone to plan the way we've been playing and we've got to try and do something different.

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"It was breathtaking to watch and I think everyone was left gobsmacked for a period of time when it was unfolding because it was like 'is this really Test cricket?' But it just goes to show where the game is headed and the modern players are brave enough to go about their business in the T20 fashion... because this is what they've been playing... and now they're sort of developing that in the Test arena."