Australian young sensation Sam Konstas took the cricket world by storm with his fearless debut in the recent Border-Gavaskar Trophy 2024-25 against India at home.
The 19-year-old turned heads during the Boxing Day Test at the Melbourne Cricket Ground (MCG) in Melbourne, where he produced a T20-style blitzkrieg that left the Indian bowlers scrambling for answers.
Sam Konstas takes the 2024-25 Border-Gavaskar Trophy by storm
The young Australian opener's audacious fifty included bold and rampant runs against none other than India's pace spearhead Jasprit Bumrah, setting the stage for a memorable five-match Test series between the two cricketing giants.
But it wasn't just Konstas' bat that spoke. In fact, Sam Konstas also found himself at the center of fiery on-field altercations with Indian legend Virat Kohli and ace pacer Jasprit Bumrah.
The Boxing Day Test witnessed a heated exchange between Konstas and Kohli as the young Australian opener refused to back down, earning him both the admiration and the ire of the fans. Well, the drama carried over to the fifth and final Test at the Sydney Cricket Ground (SCG) in Sydney, where Konstas locked horns with Jasprit Bumrah during a tense final on Day 1.
Sam Konstas reflects on the heated clash with Virat Kohli and Jasprit Bumrah
The already angry Indian pacer hit back by dismissing Usman Khawaja at the same time as giving a piercing death glare to the plucky young Aussie at the packed SGC during the New Year's Test. Despite these fiery moments against India, Konstas remained undeterred, showing a fighting spirit that became the hallmark of his debut series.
After Australia won the 2024-25 Border-Gavaskar Trophy by crushing India 3-1 in the five-match Test series, Konstas reflected on the intense moments that defined his battles with Kohli and Bumrah. Speaking candidly, the Aussie prodigy admitted that emotions ran high, but what followed surprised him.
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In an unexpected gesture after the match, Virat Kohli approached the youngster with words of encouragement that left a lasting impact. Sam Konstas said at CODE Sports: “I enjoyed every second of it, but there are great things to learn and reflect on and hopefully in future tournaments I can learn from this.”
Virat Kohli was very down to earth: Sam Konstas
Furthermore, Konstas shared details of his conversation with Virat Kohli after their heated exchange at the MCG. He admitted that he told Kohli that he idolizes him and in response, the former Indian captain gave a humble reply. Konstas described Kohli as “down to earth” and noted that the Indian star wished him well for the upcoming Sri Lankan tour.
Sharing more details about his dream meeting with Kohli, Konstas noted, “I had a little chat after the game telling him that I idolize him and obviously it's a great honor to play against him. When I wrote his lyrics, I said, “Wow, Virat Kohli is batting.” He just had that presence about him, with the whole crowd of Indians coming into it. Singing his name. It was pretty surreal.”
The Aussie gun concluded by saying: “He was very down to earth. A wonderful person who wishes me only the best. I idolized him as a kid and he is a legend of the game. He was very kind and wished me well, saying I hope I do well in the Sri Lanka tour, if I am. My whole family loves Virat.”