Page 24 - Icc World Test Championship

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

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: Watch Kohli shoulders Konstas, might get reprimand from referee

Michael Vaughan said during the commentary that Kohli might be called by the referee. The Englishmen even criticised Kohli for doing so, saying it was not expected from senior cricketer like Kohli

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

Pakistan vs South Africa Tests full schedule, live timings (IST), streaming

The live streaming of Pakistan vs South Africa will be available on the JioCinema app and website in India.

Over-tinkering of technique: Ponting on reasons behind Gill's poor form

Ponting weighed in, pointing to Gill's over-tinkering with his batting technique as primary reason for his struggles, suggesting that young cricketer must trust his instincts to rediscover his form

IND vs AUS - Modern-day great will figure out: Rohit on Virat Kohli's form

Across five innings, Kohli has amassed just 126 runs at an average of 31.50-a far cry from the consistency fans have come to expect

IND vs AUS 4th Test: Rohit reveals why Tanush picked ahead of Kuldeep-Axar

Tanush Kotian, a 26-year-old cricketer from Mumbai, has been a standout performer in domestic cricket. He has taken 101 wickets in 33 first-class matches, with an impressive average of 25.70.

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 Boxing Day Test: Fans wait for Kohli's Kingly' outing at MCG

Kohli, Kohli.the chants from 90000 fervent fans still reverberate in the ear when you step into the fabled MCG, even two years after the former Indian skipper pulled off a stunning heist against Pakistan in the T20 World Cup 2022. Back then, Virat Kohli's unbeaten 82 off 53 balls helped India snatch a victory from the jaws of defeat, and now he is back at the G, looking for another redemption act. Kohli made a bright beginning to the ongoing Border-Gavaskar Trophy against Australia with a second innings hundred at Perth. But since then he has hit the snooze mode, producing just 26 runs over the next four innings across Adelaide and Brisbane Tests. However, Kohli's travails with the bat notwithstanding, his popularity off the field has not diminished one bit, a quick tour of MCG will make you understand that fact. You will be greeted with Kohli's pictures at the ticket counter of the Australian Sports Museum. Then there are images of him kissing the Border-Gavaskar Trophy after ..

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.

IND vs AUS 4th Test: Team India sweats it out in the nets at the MCG

Star batters Virat Kohli and Rishabh Pant were seen facing the pacers during nets at MCG ahead of the Boxing Day Test

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

India vs Australia 4th Test Playing 11: Changes expected on Boxing Day

For India, there could be only one change in their playing 11, bringing another speedster in place of Mohammed Siraj. Australia might make two changes in their Playing 11

Australian top-three seriously out of form, should go back to basics: Healy

Ahead of the crucial Boxing Day Test against India from December 26, legendary wicketkeeper Ian Healy has pointed out the serious lack of form of the top-three Australian batters and advised them to go to the basics and perform if they want to continue in the team. Australia made 445 in the first innings of the rain truncated third Test at Brisbane with Travis Head and Steve Smith smashing centuries but the home team did miserably in the second innings before declaring at 89 for 7. The match ended in a draw with the five-match Test series level at 1-1. "I don't see them (Australia) regressing going into Melbourne, but they are out of form, they're seriously out of form," Healy told SEN Radio. Openers Usman Khawaja, Nathan McSweeney and one-drop batter Marnus Labuschagne performed below expectations at the Gabba before Smith and Head halted the slide with centuries in the first innings. The second innings was even worse with the top three managing just 13 runs. "Questions have got