Young Australian opening batter Sam Konstas created a significant record during the Boxing Day Test match in the Border-Gavaskar Trophy (BGT) 2024-25 series. Sam Konstas became the first batsman in the world to hit a six against Team India pace bowling spearhead Jasprit Bumrah in Tests since 2021.
Australia made changes to their playing XI after Bumrah’s performance with the new ball in the last three Tests. The selection committee, led by George Bailey, included Konstas in place of Nathan McSweeney. He had impressed with a century in the warm-up match between India and the Prime Minister’s XI.
Konstas Creates History on His Debut Test in Melbourne
Australia’s plan was to counter Jasprit Bumrah’s threat early in the innings, and Sam Konstas executed it perfectly. The right-handed batter used an ultra-aggressive approach against Bumrah. Konstas’ tactics paid off as he scored 34 runs off Bumrah’s opening spell – the most by a batter in red-ball cricket so far.
Konstas made history by becoming the first batsman to hit a six off Jasprit Bumrah in Test cricket since 2021. He achieved this feat on the second ball of the seventh over in Australia’s first innings.
The last player to hit a six off Bumrah was Cameron Green. Bumrah had bowled 4,484 balls without conceding a six over the past four years, but that streak was broken during the Boxing Day Test.
A debut Test innings that’ll live long in the memory.
Enjoy the highlights from Sam Konstas’ 60 on Boxing Day #AUSvIND pic.twitter.com/1ZD35GuV65
— 7Cricket (@7Cricket) December 26, 2024
Sam Konstas Became the Second-Youngest Australian to Score a Test Fifty
Konstas reached his maiden Test half-century in just 52 balls. He became the second-youngest Australian to score a Test fifty, achieving the feat at 19 years and 85 days.
The youngest to achieve this was Ian Craig, who scored a fifty at 17 years and 239 days in 1953, while Neil Harvey, who was 19 years and 121 days old, is in third place.
One of the Most Fascinating Test Debut Half-Centuries I’ve Ever Witnessed – Ian Bishop
Konstas scored 60 runs off 65 balls, featuring six fours and two sixes, before being dismissed by Ravindra Jadeja. Harsha Bhogle praised Konstas for his boldness, noting the selectors likely didn’t expect such a response.
Irfan Pathan highlighted the fearlessness and daring approach that Konstas brought to facing Bumrah. Ian Bishop described Konstas’ half-century as one of the most fascinating debuts he had seen, commending the young batsman for not backing down from anyone.
“This too is test cricket! #SamKonstas. When the selectors said they wanted to throw a different challenge at India’s bowlers, they couldn’t have imagined it would come off like this,” Harsha Bhogle tweeted.
“What I’m seeing with Sam Konstas is fearlessness & borderline stupidity. But that’s what Australia wanted. Wanted some one to face Jasprit Bumrah in different way,” Irfan Pathan posted.
“That is one of the most fascinating test debut half centuries Ive ever witnessed by Sam Konstas. He doesn’t back down from anyone either; senior or junior,” Ian Bishop wrote.
Also read: “Not good enough”: Nitish Kumar Reddy dropped from India XI for MCG Test by Ex-India star