Page 22 - Australia Cricket Team

IND vs AUS - Konstas tore MCC coaching manual to shreds: Ravi Shastri

Sam Konstas tore the MCC coaching manual to shreds with his brazen batting approach and flippant treatment of an intimidating Jasprit Bumrah, former India coach Ravi Shastri said on Thursday, adding that the Australian teenager reminded him of legendary Virender Sehwag. Konstas, 19, grabbed eyeballs with his scintillating batting on Test debut. He had the Indian camp in disbelief with his bold ramp shots off Bumrah, one of the most revered fast bowlers in modern-day cricket. "I don't think anyone's taken or treated Bumrah like that in any format of the game, let alone red-ball cricket," Shastri told Star Sports. "For him to go out there with that swag and attempt some outrageous shotsit was something else. He tore that MCC coaching manual to shreds." Shastri said at one point, it felt like "India had run out of ideas". "They actually didn't know what hit them. Initially, he missed the first two shots, and there was a smile on the faces of the Indian players. They thought, If he ta

IND vs AUS 4th Test: Konstas says assault on Bumrah was pre-meditated

"It was just another day for him" but not for a filled-to-capacity MCG as 19-year-old Sam Konstas went after a modern-day pace great with the ferocity of a Greek warrior, refused to back down from a confrontation and showed utter disdain for the archaic defence-first approach against India. It wouldn't be wrong to say that the sensation from Sydney, who is of Greek descent, made a debut to remember at the Boxing Day Test and created the impact that the Australian team management wanted from him. "I reckon maybe 20-30 years ago, people were probably saying defend a lot, just about all day but I think for new generation, there are new shots," Konstas said after a 65-ball 60, that included a couple of audacious sixes in the peerless Jasprit Bumrah's first spell. "It's exciting for me obviously, I like doing that, putting pressure back on the bowlers and hopefully it pays off in the next innings," not for once he sounded arrogant but the confidence was quite stunning to observe. At the

How Sam Konstas' father unknowingly prepared his son for tough battles

If going after the much-feared Indian pacer Jasprit Bumrah came naturally to Sam Konstas, it had something to do with an innocuous mistake his father committed during the teenager's childhood training. Making a Test debut that will be talked about for a long time, Konstas lived up to the hype around his talent by smashing an impressive 60 off 65 balls when the Boxing Day Test got underway here on Thursday. More than the runs he scored, it was Konstas' audacity to take on the world class Bumrah with the new ball that had the experts singing his eulogy. Konstas' brother Billy, who is a physiotherapist by profession, revealed how his father's error eventually helped his younger brother learn tackling pace bowling from an early age. "We were little kids and the first time dad took us to a bowling machine, he had it on 90 miles an hour, thinking it was 90 kilometres," Billy told Fox Cricket. "Dad fed the machine, and he hit it straight out of the middle. I think from the age of five or

IND vs AUS: Ravi Shastri compares debutant Sam Konstas with Virender Sehwag

The 19-year-old Sam Konstas played a brilliant 60-run innings in just 65 balls on his debut against India at Melbourne Cricket Ground

IND vs AUS: Dropping Gill was a strategic move, says batting coach Nayar

Star batter Shubman Gill was dropped from the Indian squad for the Boxing Day Test between India and Australia in the ongoing Border Gavaskar Trophy

IND vs AUS: Debutant Konstas believes bump with Kohli was accidental

The incident, which occurred after the 10th over of Australia's innings, saw tempers flare but was later downplayed by the young Australian batter.

India vs Australia HIGHLIGHTS, 4th Test Day 1: Bumrah takes 3 as Konstas inspires Australia to 311/6

IND vs AUS CRICKET SCORE UPDATES: Konstas' aggressive start gives Australia a good total at the end of Day 1 with Cummins and Smith to start Day 2 for the hosts.

Look where Virat walks: Who is saying what on Kohli vs Konstas altercation?

Kohli-Konstas physical altertercation at the crease spiralled into a controversy that has left fans, commentators, and former players weighing in with stinging commentary.

IND vs AUS: Konstas vs Bumrah lights up Boxing Day at MCG | Watch video

Konstas didn't shy away from trying to play the same shot in Bumrah's next over as well and finally hit the ball over keeper for two fours and a six

India vs Australia 4th Test Playing 11, live time, IND vs AUS streaming

India made two changes in their Playing 11, bringing in Washington Sundar for Gill. The live streaming of the 4th test match between Australia and India will be available on the Disney Plus Hotstar

IND vs AUS - Cummins' message for Konstas: Have fun and don't overthink

Australia skipper Pat Cummins understands what a teenager goes through on a high-profile Test debut and knows what he needs to tell a young Sam Konstas: "Have fun and don't overthink". Konstas, 18, is all set to make his debut against India in the Boxing Day Test, starting Thursday. Konstas has created a lot of buzz in Australian domestic cricket and his Test debut at the expense of Nathan McSweeney has become quite an event. When the skipper was asked about his feelings during his Test debut at 19, Cummins spoke about an element of naivety that can stop a kid from overthinking about how big a deal it is. "I spent a bit of the time wondering why or how I was there, how it happened so quick. I just remember being really excited and I think it's similar to Sammy (Konstas) this week. "There's a level of naivety that you just want to go out and play like you do when you're a kid in the backyard," Cummins said during the pre-match press interaction. "You just want to take the game on,

IND vs AUS: Ravi Shastri backs India to win the Boxing Day Test at MCG

Former coach Ravi Shastri has backed India to win the Boxing Day Test, saying the visitors have exploited Australia's "brittle" top order to have their "nose ahead" in the Border-Gavaskar Trophy. Shastri added that Indian pace spearhead Jasprit Bumrah is "almost single-handedly" responsible for the visitors keeping the series levelled at 1-1. "I think India would take this, the way the series is poised. Any overseas team being 1-1, especially with the games being in Perth, Adelaide and Brisbane, they would take this. "Going 1-1 into Boxing Day is the best case scenario. I would say India have their nose ahead," Shastri told news.com.au. Australia's top order comprising Usman Khawaja, Nathan McSweeney and Marnus Labuschagne have been unable to score against Bumrah. it has have forced them to hand a debut to teenage sensation Sam Konstas while dropping rookie opener Nathan McSweeney. "It's been pretty brittle. When you look at this Australian line-up, it's been a long time since I'

Of Australian team and its warm tradition of family get-together at MCG

Families do keep elite sportsmen grounded in every sense of the world. Twenty four hours prior to the start of a high-octane Boxing Day Test, the gargantuan MCG resembled an annual function of a nursery school, with families of Australian cricketers joining them for a customary stroll of the G and savour the traditional Turkey roast. There was Pat Cummins' wife Becky and Mitch Marsh's better half Greta, and they were seen enjoying some light moments along with their children. Steve Smith had his father Peter for company while Andrew McDonald's teenager son Ollie was seen taking throwdowns at an adjacent net alongside Travis Head. Sam Konstas' family has flown in from Sydney to see him wear the Baggy Green for the first time on Thursday. The kids ran around with their fathers, who didn't want to miss even a second of this precious family time, which is a rarity for international cricketers mostly living out of their suitcases. "It's great. We spend probably more time on the road t

Boxing Day Test: Pujara highlights Starc's Impact, India's bowling concerns

India's senior batter Cheteshwar Pujara provided a detailed analysis of Mitchell Starc's performance and raised concerns about India's bowling strength ahead of the crucial India vs Australia 4th Test

What is Boxing Day Test? India, Australia's Test record at MCG | IND vs AUS

India and Australia will face each other in Melbourne Cricket Ground with hopes of taking a 2-1 lead in the ongoing 2024-25 Border Gavaskar Trophy

IND vs AUS: Australia announce playing 11, Travis Head fit to play

Head, who had suffered a minor quad strain while batting in the Brisbane Test, underwent a rigorous fitness test on Christmas Day.

AUS's Playing 11 changes for 4th Test: Debut for Konstas, Head may miss out

Konstas, 19, will become the 468th Australian men's Test cricketer when he takes the field for the Border-Gavaskar Trophy on December 26.

IND vs AUS: Tackle Bumrah with discipline, not aggression, says Katich

Katich said that going for boundaries against Bumrah will lead to losing early wickets for Australia

McSweeney's tough start may lead to return at No. 4 or 5: Vaughan

Former England captain Michael Vaughan sympathised with Nathan McSweeney for his struggles against star India pacer Jasprit Bumrah that led to his axing from Australia Test squad, and said he could comeback as a middle-order batter in future. McSweeney was dismissed by Bumrah four times across six innings and the Australia selectors have replaced him with teenage sensation Sam Konstas for the Melbourne and Sydney Test. "I look at McSweeney and think I don't think there's a player who has had a harder start to their career. I feel for the kid, because of all the people that I've seen come into Test cricket over the last 10 years, I don't think anyone's been given a harder challenge," Vaughan told Fox Sports. McSweeney, 25, who made his Test debut in the series-opener in Perth, struggled at the top with scores of 10, 0, 39, 10 not out, 9, and 4 in his six innings. "To face Bumrah in the conditions that he's had to face now, the pink ball under lights in his second game, in Perth it d

IND vs AUS: Aussie debutant Konstas ready with plan to counter Bumrah

Konstas is unfazed by the challenge of facing Bumrah. "I do have a plan for Bumrah, but I'm not going to share it," he said with confidence.