Ravi Shastri calls on Aussies to select Sam Konstas for Melbourne, Sydney Tests

Jasprit Bumrah has given the Australian top-order nightmares and only Travis Head has been up to the task according to Indian legend Ravi Shastri, who believes they must make one key change for the final two tests.

Jasprit Bumrah must be in the Australian top-order’s dreams. All night, every night. He keeps you guessing even if you are a top-class batter. But if you’re out of nick, then look out. Jasprit will be all over you, like he has been during this series with most of the Australian batters.

What amazes me with Jasprit is that he hardly bowls a single straight ball compared to everyone else we’ve seen so far. The new-ball is always doing something when it’s released from his hand. It’s either swinging or seaming and always asking very challenging questions of the batters.

It’s safe to say that he has single-handedly kept India alive in this series. With ball, with bat and having captained the team to a famous win in Perth to gain the early lead.

And thanks to his heroics at the Gabba, India will take more from the rain-affected Test than what Australia will, despite what the scoreboard might have said. It was a fabulous outcome to come out unscathed from Brisbane and to go to the MCG with the series level at 1-1.

Knowing that they are only a win away from retaining the Border Gavaskar Trophy.

Ravi Shastri believes Jasprit Bumrah has been single-handedly keeping India alive in this series. Picture: Getty Images

India definitely have their noses ahead of Australia with the way things have transpired up to now. Australia’s top-order has really not come to the party consistently enough, as I’d talked about from even before the series.

You take out Travis Head and I can’t see anyone who can take the attack to the Indian bowlers. Head has been so crucial. I’d really like to see young Sam Konstas being drafted in for the last two Tests. I’ve really liked what I’ve seen of him, which I’d mentioned in my previous column as well.

India on the other hand have still survived despite their batters not coming to the party at Adelaide or at the Gabba.

The way the final day played out in Brisbane was huge for India. Australia will try to present the narrative that they lost quick wickets because they wanted to force the pace. That was all an afterthought though from what I saw. They only started playing shots after they’d lost 4-5 wickets for nothing while trying to bat normally against the new-ball.

That session has tilted the scales massively. Now the pressure is well and truly on Australia, who are desperate to win a Test series at home. India have already seen enough of the Border Gavaskar Trophy in the last 10 years after all.

Shastri believes Australia should bring in Sam Konstas for the final two tests of the series. Picture: Getty Images

The last-wicket partnership that took India over the line in terms of saving the follow-on was as significant as Bumrah’s spell on Day 5. I was not surprised with the celebration in the Indian dressing-room. The massive relief was very understandable because in that moment they realised they can go to Melbourne on a level peg. It was also the kind of partnership, between Bumrah and Akash Deep, that lifts a dressing-room. The stomach they showed for the fight and the character they showed under huge duress.

I just get a feeling that the centurions from this series will add to the tally when we get to the MCG. Whether it’s Steve Smith for Australia or Virat Kohli and Yashasvi Jaiswal for India. A big shoutout to KL Rahul as well for his outstanding batting in this series, which continued at the Gabba. He truly deserved a century as well.

The one champion we won’t see at the G is Ravichandran Ashwin. He’ll certainly go down as an all-time great. Anyone with over 500 sticks would. The thing that stood out for me with Ashwin was that he was always wanting to evolve. He was never satisfied with sitting on his laurels. He always wanted to learn things and keep up with the times.

Towards the end of his career, he was the ultimate master of flight, guile and deception. His ability to get the seam to go in different angles and to get the ball to dip on a batter was a treat to the eye.

While many were shocked by Ravichandran Ashwin’s sudden retirement, but Shastri understands the surprise move and believes he will go down as an all time great for India. Picture: AFP

A lot of people were surprised with the timing of his decision, it coming in the middle of a Test series. But I get it. He can see that there’s a young guy in Washington who is ready for overseas conditions and Ravindra Jadeja more often than not will be the first-choice spinner away from home. Plus, India don’t play a home Test till next November.

It’s a fair call for Ash to have made. It’s not hurting the team. At that age, with the seniority you have, it’s not easy if you’re not playing. To wake up and go through the grind every day. I think his retirement announcement in Brisbane was a wise and sensible decision.

I knew it was coming at some stage. It might have even happened in India but probably the results against New Zealand must have convinced the management and Ashwin that he was needed in Australia.

His experience and presence were very important for India winning two Test series in Australia. Alongside his ability to bowl with the new-ball. His three wickets in the first session on Boxing Day at the MCG in 2020 turned the series around for us after we’d been bowled out for 36 in Adelaide the previous week. And he was the one who finished things off in Adelaide in 2018 to set the series up for us.

My lasting memory of Ashwin will be his massive contributions to Indian Test cricket. The volume of work, with 537 wickets and 6 Test tons is enormous. And especially in India, he was unrelenting. And had a great spin twin in Jadeja at the other end. The pressure was relentless and they have each other to thank for the number of wickets, nearly 900 between them, that they ended up with.

Ash stacks up with the best of the lot. He stands out in his era. He got everyone out. No matter how big name the batter was. Opposition batters who have had sleepless nights with the prospect of facing him can finally now rest easy.

Originally published as Ravi Shastri calls on Aussies to select Sam Konstas for Melbourne, Sydney Tests