IND vs AUS 4th Test: Who is young Australia batting sensation Sam Konstas?

Sam Konstas receives national call-up for the last two Tests of the 2024-25 Border Gavaskar Trophy. He will replace opener Nathan McSweeney in the squad

After the third Test of the 2024-25 Border Gavaskar Trophy between India and Australia ended in a draw, leaving the series tied at 1-1 with two more Tests to go, the Australian team on Friday, December 20, announced a fresh 15-member squad for the remaining two matches of the series. The highlight of the announcement was the inclusion of 19-year-old batting sensation Sam Konstas, who replaces opener Nathan McSweeney. McSweeney failed to impress the selectors during his three-match stint with the team.

 

Konstas caught attention when he scored a brilliant 107 runs against India in a two-day tour match in Canberra while playing for the Prime Minister’s XI before the pink-ball Test between India and Australia in Adelaide.

 

But who is Sam Konstas, the 19-year-old batter from Sydney making waves in the Australian cricket fraternity?

 

Sam Konstas: The next big thing in Australian cricket

 

Sam Konstas, a rising star in Australian cricket, was born in Sydney and is of Greek descent. He made his first-class debut for New South Wales against Tasmania in November 2023. In December 2023, he signed his first professional contract with Sydney Thunder and was named in the Australian squad for the 2024 Under-19 Cricket World Cup. He scored 108 runs off 121 balls during the tournament against the West Indies.

 

Konstas continued to excel in first-class cricket, scoring his maiden century against South Australia on October 8, 2024, with 152 runs off 241 balls. In the same match, he achieved another century, becoming the youngest player to score twin centuries in the Sheffield Shield since former Australian captain Ricky Ponting in 1993.

 

 

Following his strong start to the 2024-25 Sheffield Shield season, Konstas was selected for the India A tour of Australia. In the second unofficial Test, he scored an unbeaten 73, playing a key role in his team’s victory. Konstas also shone in a 46-over match against the Prime Minister’s XI, scoring 107 runs off 97 balls, including 14 fours and a six.

 

In December 2024, Konstas made his Big Bash League debut for Sydney Thunder. He set the record for the fastest fifty in Thunder history, reaching the milestone in just 20 balls. These impressive performances eventually earned him a call-up to the national squad for the 2024-25 Border Gavaskar Trophy.

 

Sam Konstas: Career in numbers 

Format	Mat	Inns	Runs	HS	Ave	SR	100s	50s	4s	6s
FC	11	18	718	152	42.23	51.76	2	3	74	8
List A	1	1	10	10	10	71.42	0	0	1	0
T20s	1	1	56	56	56	207.4	0	1	8	2