‘It was quite surreal’: Sam Konstas surprised everyone on debut. He shouldn’t have surprised India

Sam Konstas has made a remarkable start to his Test career, playing several spectacular ramp shots to bamboozle Indian fast bowler Jasprit Bumrah on his way to a stunning half-century on debut and sending a heaving MCG crowd into raptures on Boxing Day.

The warning signs had been there for India during the PM’s XI match in Canberra less than a month ago. That day, cricket purists revelled in a swashbuckling century. On Thursday, it was the turn of the wider Australian sporting public to give an emphatic tick of approval to the game’s new rising star.

After receiving his Baggy Green cap from former NSW and Australian opener Mark Taylor before play, Konstas was out lbw to Ravindra Jadeja for 60 off 65 balls after smashing the third-fastest Test half-century by a debutant.

“It was quite surreal,” the 19-year-old said after play. “Lucky to get a few runs today. Obviously a bit disappointed with the way I got out, but hopefully we get a bit of momentum for tomorrow.”

After taking eight deliveries to get bat on ball, Konstas, Australia’s youngest ever Test opening batsman, tried to reverse-ramp his 11th delivery – a short-of-a-length ball – over the slips cordon. He failed, and the ball narrowly missed his stumps.

It was an extraordinary shot attempt in the context of the match. Had Konstas been bowled, with friends and family in the crowd, the condemnation would have been swift.

Sam Konstas with family after being presented with his Baggy Green. Credit: Getty Images

But with the exuberance of youth on his side, Konstas didn’t temper his approach. Soon afterwards, he flicked Bumrah for four over the head of wicketkeeper Rishabh Pant, drawing smiles from both the star bowler and Virat Kohli. The smiles from the India veteran didn’t last much longer.

India could not say they hadn’t been warned. Though the two-day PM’s XI match at Manuka Oval earlier this month was reduced to a one-day affair because of rain, the tourists showed no desire to set attacking fields – and what followed was a performance from Konstas that prompted calls for his Test selection.

On that day in Canberra, with four slips and a gully, a comparatively restrained Konstas waited 34 balls to play one of the hardest shots in cricket. The ball sailed over the slips and to the boundary off the bowling of Akash Deep.

Respected Indian journalist Sriram Veera wrote in the Indian Express: “In the slips, Rohit Sharma doubled over cracking in laughter, as did Rishabh Pant.”

The shots weren’t taken seriously by India’s players at the time. They thought this was a young kid riding his luck who they wouldn’t see again on the tour. How wrong they were.

Konstas felt a similar plan would unsettle Bumrah in Melbourne. If he had intended to spread the field and leave the tourists scrambling, he executed his plan to perfection.

Though India had seen Konstas do this before, they were initially reluctant to change the field and put a man back on the boundary.

Unsurprisingly, Konstas then pulled off a reverse-ramp shot over slips for six before a similar shot three balls later made it 14 runs off Bumrah’s fourth over.

“Has anyone told him this is not the BBL [Big Bash League]?” Australian great Ricky Ponting said in commentary for Channel Seven. “Does he know he’s not rocking up for the Sydney Thunder like he did last week?

“Talk about them being flustered. They don’t know where to look at the moment, the Indians. I expected him to show up today and puff the chest out and show what he’s all about. I didn’t expect some of the stuff I’ve seen here already.”

Bumrah’s sixth over went for 18 runs, with Konstas cracking a six to mid-wicket to force the series’ leading wicket-taker out of the attack. He said it was all part of his plan and that he hadn’t given a lot of thought to what might happen if he got out.

“It probably will look silly if I did get out, but I work pretty hard on that shot and I feel like it’s a safe shot for me,” Konstas said. “That’s the beauty about being young and maybe a bit naive ... I’m just trying to put pressure back on the bowler.

Sam Konstas had a debut for the ages on day one of the Boxing Day Test at the MCG.Credit: AP

“Maybe 20 or 30 years ago, people were probably saying [to] defend a lot. I was trying to put a bit of pressure on him, and paid off today.”

Having plundered more runs (34) than any player has done during a single Bumrah spell, Konstas said he wanted another crack at the world’s best bowler.

“I’ll look to keep targeting him,” Konstas on the Fox broadcast while still in the middle. “Hopefully, he might come back on. We’ll see what happens.

Konstas received a standing ovation when he walked off in the 20th over in what was arguably the most memorable Boxing Day moment since Shane Warne took his 700th Test wicket.

With Usman Khawaja and Marnus Labuschagne batting away, television cameras panned to Konstas taking selfies with fans. It was still the first session of a Test match.

Debuts don’t come much better than this. As for India, just watch out for the ramp next time.

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