Sam Konstas’ weakness is Jasprit Bumrah’s strength: The inswinger

Jasprit Bumrah is one of the most lethal bowlers to visit Australian shores. Sam Konstas will need to survive the Indian maestro’s biggest weapon - which could well be the teenager’s kryptonite.

Sam Konstas must dismantle one of the most dangerous weapons in cricket before landing a blow on India’s chin on Boxing Day.

Delivered from wide of the stumps, Jasprit Bumrah’s lethal in-swingers and off-cutters have been a nightmare for all of Australia’s right-handed batsmen this summer.

In all, according to Cricviz data, Bumrah has bowled 79 balls which have moved into the right-handed batsmen through the air or off the wicket and only 24 runs have been scored off them for six dismissals.

This means for every four runs scored off a Bumrah inducker, Australia has lost a wicket, a chastening statistic which says everything about their potency.

Bumrah has cramped Australia’s right handers to such a degree that, astonishingly, just four cut shots have been attempted off his bowling by right handed batsmen in three Tests – three by Nathan Lyon and one by Marnus Labuschagne.

Sam Konstas faces a huge task to tame Jasprit Bumrah on debut. Picture: Bradley Kanaris/Getty Images

Rival teams have tried to target Konstas with inswingers.

“I have not seen a decent cut shot played against him all series,’’ said Channel 7’s Aaron Finch.

In under-19 cricket, rival teams often used to try and dismiss Konstas with the inswinger, feeling this was a soft spot in his game.

But while he has fallen to this type of ball twice in his first class career, there is also a feeling he has improved against it and his overall defensive game now looks sound.

Weathering the inswinger is one of the first survival tests batsmen get against Bumrah and it requires immense concentration as they decide which balls to play at and which they can let go.

Bumrah is the ultimate test, bowling at a level which may be unsurpassed by a touring bowler in Australia.

Australian batsman who have faced him this summer have spoken about being “suffocated’’ from scoring options.

Even when they use their feet and advance to him there is no sense of liberation and they are engulfed by that feeling he is the man in control.

After three Tests Bumrah has the astonishing returns of 21 wickets at 10.9.

He is tracking towards a 35 wicket series. The record for an overseas bowler in Australia is 38 wickets from England’s Maurice Tate, one of the game’s first great seam bowlers, 100 years ago.

After 43 Tests, Bumrah is averaging a freakish 19.53 per wicket and just 17 for his 53 wickets against Australia in 10 Tests in this country.

Originally published as Sam Konstas’ weakness is Jasprit Bumrah’s strength: The inswinger