Sydney, Jan 1 As the series heads to its final Test of the Border Gavaskar Trophy at the Sydney Cricket Ground (SCG), Australia wicketkeeper Alex Carey has shed light on Test debutant Sam Konstas’ thrilling Melbourne exploits, saying the youngster played a style of cricket that was probably new to the Indian team.
At 19, Konstas was a surprise inclusion for the Melbourne Test, but he quickly justified his selection with a counterattacking half-century on day one. His fearless approach saw him take on pacer Jasprit Bumrah, scoring 33 runs off 34 balls during India’s premier pacer's pening spell. The highlight was an audacious series of ramp shots, including three boundaries in a single over.
"I was a spectator that first session; I probably had the emotions of the 90,000 that were there. At times I couldn’t watch it, at times I was cheering.” Caret told reporters on Wednesday.
Australia’s top order had struggled in the first three Tests, with Usman Khawaja and Nathan McSweeney finding it hard to score freely. Konstas’ inclusion brought a new dynamic to the opening partnership.
"Just the energy he bought, it was something different. He probably wasn’t expecting that amount of difference, but he played a style of cricket that was probably new to India as well.
"We’ll wait and see how he plays out here. I don’t think that’s his blueprint every Test match, but to be able to throw a few punches early and get a bit of momentum for us, the opening partnership was probably just lacking that intensity.
"I thought Nathan and Usman got us through tough situations as well by facing lots of balls. Sam was able to score a little bit, so hopefully another opportunity in front of his home fans," he said.
Konstas’ fiery debut wasn’t without controversy. His shoulder-barge with Indian star Virat Kohli on day one sparked heated discussions. Kohli was fined 20 per cent of his match fee for the incident, but the handshake between the two players signalled that tempers had cooled.
"I think I saw a photo of them shaking hands and a little tap on the back. It’s Test cricket. Sam didn’t take it to heart," Carey said.
Australia leads the series 2-1 and is on the cusp of reclaiming the Border-Gavaskar Trophy, which has been India’s for nearly a decade. A victory at the SCG would not only seal the series but would ensure the qualification for the World Test Championship final against South Africa in June at Lord's.
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