Australia’s 19-year-old Sam Konstas shocked the cricketing world on Day 1 of the MCG Test as only the second player in history to hit two sixes off India’s pacer Jasprit Bumrah in a single Test innings. His fearless approach and attacking mindset marked a debut that has cricket fans buzzing with excitement.
Sam Konstas didn’t just walk out on the field as a debutant, he walked in with the kind of fearlessness that made him immediately impactful. He started going at the mighty Bumrah from ball one, determined to make his mark. After getting through a maiden over, he wasted no time in taking the reins. With a clever reverse ramp shot, he sent Bumrah’s delivery soaring over the wicketkeeper’s head for a boundary.
It was not just a one-off shot – Konstas had more tricks up his sleeve. He took the game to Bumrah on the very next ball with a sensational reverse scoop over the slip fielders for a six. The audacity of this shot was remarkable since it marked the first time in 4483 balls that Bumrah was hit for a six in Test cricket.
Sam Konstas Challenges Bumrah’s Brilliance
He was not done yet. Having come with his six, he followed up with a series of attacking shots and in the 11th over, came another six – the second of the innings. It made Konstas the only the second player who had hit Bumrah for two sixes in an innings of a Test match, a record which was earlier held by England’s Jos Buttler.
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WHAT ARE WE SEEING!
Sam Konstas just whipped Jasprit Bumrah for six 😱#AUSvIND | #PlayOfTheDay | @nrmainsurance pic.twitter.com/ZuNdtCncLO
— cricket.com.au (@cricketcomau) December 26, 2024
His game was not about mere power, but timing and accuracy. Every shot spoke of the maturity and dauntless spirit that makes a 19-year-old seem to belong in cricket’s most grueling format.
Star Emerges In Australian Cricket
Konstas was handed his Test debut cap by former Australian captain Mark Taylor before the game. This was the beginning of a special moment in his career. The then 19-year and 85-day-old youngster is now the fourth youngest Australian to debut in the red-ball format, joining Ian Craig, Pat Cummins, and Tom Garrett.
His ability to adapt so quickly to Test cricket was on full display when he completed a rapid half-century in just 52 balls. His debut was not only about his impressive batting – it was a bold statement that he is here to stay in Australian cricket.
Sam Konstas is now part of a rare breed of young Test players, joining Ian Craig, who was the youngest Australian debutant when he played at 17 years and 239 days. Pat Cummins and Tom Garrett also debuted when they were 18, and entry at 19 places Konstas with the future stars of Australian cricket.
Australia Playing XI: Usman Khawaja, Sam Konstas, Marnus Labuschagne, Steven Smith, Travis Head, Mitchell Marsh, Alex Carey (wk), Pat Cummins (c), Mitchell Starc, Nathan Lyon, Scott Boland
India Playing XI: Yashasvi Jaiswal, Rohit Sharma (c), KL Rahul, Virat Kohli, Rishabh Pant (wk), Ravindra Jadeja, Nitish Kumar Reddy, Washington Sundar, Jasprit Bumrah, Mohammed Siraj, Akash Deep.
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