Aussie cricket legends react to Sam Konstas as teen’s ‘cocky’ act backfires

Australian cricket legends are all giving the same advice to Sam Konstas after the teen’s “cocky” act backfired big time against India.

Australian cricket legends are urging Sam Konstas to cool his jets after the teenager appeared to light a fire under India that might end up costing the Aussies the Border-Gavaskar Trophy.

In the final over of Day 1 at the SCG, Indian spearhead Jasprit Bumrah and the Aussie youngster had to be separated by the on-field umpire.

Watch every ball of Australia v India LIVE & ad-break free during play in 4K on Kayo | New to Kayo? Get your first month for just $1. Limited time offer.

Bumrah wasn’t impressed by Australia’s time wasting tactics and after dismissing Usman Khawaja with the last ball of the day, Bumrah made a beeline for Konstas as the Indian team, including Virat Kohli, hollered around him.

It was a dramatic way to conclude Day 1, but Konstas may have learned the hard way that it’s those type of moments that can turn a Test match on its head.

Konstas didn’t back down when play resumed on Saturday, ramping Bumrah for a boundary.

But the 19-year-old didn’t last long at the crease as Australia’s top order collapsed, losing three wickets for 30 runs to be in real trouble at 4/39.

In the end it was Mohammed Siraj who dismissed Konstas for 20, while Bumrah got Marnus Labuschagne for two bowling at the other end.

India needs a win or a draw to retain the Border-Gavaskar Trophy and it’s hard to escape the feeling Konstas unnecessarily revved up the tourists just as they had one foot on the plane home.

Sam Konstas interacts with Jasprit Bumrah in the last over of Day 1. (Photo by DAVID GRAY / AFP)

Bumrah already has 32 wickets in the series and he could come close to Shane Warne’s haul of 40 wickets in a five-match series from the 2005 Ashes.

Even discarded Indian captain Rohit Sharma made an appearance in the Indian huddle during a drinks break early on Day 2, in a sign that the visitors’ dressing room had been reunited by Konstas getting under their skin.

Several Australian cricket greats urged captain Pat Cummins to put his arm around Konstas and give him some words of wisdom.

Allan Border said on Fox Cricket if he was captaining today: “I would have had a chat (with Konstas) by now.

“There’s a subtle difference between confidence and cockiness and I think he’s just tipped over to the cocky side,” Border said.

“I would be having a word, yeah. Just to calm it down a bit. I don’t mind confidence but I think that cocky chirp and chat that goes on … he’s obviously ruffled some feathers in the Indian camp.

“From his own personal point of view I’d like to see him concentrate on what he does best and that’s batting and getting big scores.”

World Cup winner Tom Moody also dropped a truth bomb, writing on X: “Sam Konstas has much to learn. I hope the dressing room is offering that guidance without suppressing his confidence and youthful enthusiasm.

“Usman had it all under control, what he didn’t need was the distraction of having to settle his partner down at the non strikers end!”

Mark Waugh said on Fox Cricket: “You can understand Usman Khawaja trying to wind the clock down so he didn’t have to face another over, but then you have got Sam Konstas trying to get involved.

“I don’t know whether it is naive enthusiasm or that’s just the way he has always played his game through the juniors and likes to have high energy and get involved in the game, but really there was no need for Sam to get involved there.

“I think he should have bit his tongue and it’s got nothing to do with him actually and it might have broken the concentration of Khawaja.

“He might learn from that Konstas. If he keeps behaving like that he is going to have a target on his back for his whole career.

“I just think he is firing the opposition up. He’s fired up Jasprit. You don’t want to fire him up.

“I think Sam will reflect on that and think he should have minded his own business. I have just got to let the bat do the talking.”

Did Sam Konstas unnecessarily poke the bear? (Photo by Morgan Hancock - CA/Cricket Australia via Getty Images)

Ricky Ponting said on Channel 7 Bumrah’s frustration with Khawaja was “not his (Konstas’) battle to fight”.

“The Australians (were) obviously trying to take a little bit of time out of the game,” Ponting said.

“There were two balls left in the day’s play and there was a chance India could sneak another over in so, understandably, the Australians were just trying to take time out. But one guy you don’t want to upset is Jasprit Bumrah.

“The way that he’s bowled and the fact he has actually got Khawaja out five times in the series before this.

“The one thing I didn’t like … I didn’t like Konstas getting involved. That was not his battle to fight. It was between Khawaja and Bumrah.

“So, for the young man there, I hope that there was some talking to from the Australian dressing room last night because he should have stayed out of it, let his senior player try and handle the last couple of balls.

“And of course, when you play with the game, the game has a way of coming back and biting. That happened to Khawaja last night.”

“He’s teasing the line and it can be dangerous,” Kerry O’Keeffe said of Konstas.

O’Keeffe added: “I thought India’s reaction to Usman Khawaja getting out was very much over the top.

“They didn’t run to the catcher. They didn’t run to the bowler. They ran to the nonstriker. I’ve never seen that.”

Konstas couldn’t resist ramping Bumrah again. (Photo by Cameron Spencer/Getty Images)

Despite the criticism, Konstas is emerging as a Gen Z icon who is simply a confident kid who is comfortable in his own skin and determined not to be overawed by Test cricket.

The Australian team hasn’t seen youthful verve like this in some time. Konstas is half the age of Khawaja and is the only member of the current XI aged under 30.

Cameron Green (25) and Nathan McSweeney (25) will likely return to the team in the next 12 months and balance out the age demographic somewhat.

And for all his skill as a cricketer, Green has so far looked robotic compared to the flair and personality shown by Konstas.

Konstas’ warm-up session in the SCG nets on Saturday was watched on by hordes of fans and he had to be shepherded through the crowd by security as he made his way back to the dressing room before play.

Wearing green Adidas sneakers instead of RM Williams boots at Kirribilli House before the SCG Test is the type of thing that will endear Konstas to some fans and leave supporters from a different generation tut-tutting.

He might soon follow in the footsteps of Australian sporting personalities like Nick Kyrgios and Ange Postecoglou — enigmas who are built up by fans and media only to be torn down by tall poppy syndrome when they don’t reach the lofty heights of their potential.

Is Konstas a breath of fresh air or naive to the rigours of Test cricket? As always, the truth lies probably somewhere in between.

Originally published as Aussie cricket legends react to Sam Konstas as teen’s ‘cocky’ act backfires