Sam Konstas and the scoop shot is nothing short of a love story — be it against Jasprit Bumrah on Test debut at the Melbourne Cricket Ground, or when he’s fighting to get back into the red-ball team after a string of low scores. On Tuesday, visiting India for the first time, the 19-year-old attempted a reverse-scoop against Prasidh Krishna just five balls into the day. He couldn’t quite time it, but it’s the audacity that stands out.
“I think at times you’ll see glimpses of that. He’s exciting — you don’t always know what you’re going to get from him, and that’s part of the fun of watching him,” Tim Paine, head coach of Australia A, touring India A, said.
In the first unofficial Test at the Ekana Stadium, Konstas smashed 109 off 144 deliveries, hitting three sixes and 10 fours. Along the way, he unfurled a variety of scoops and sweeps. Uncharacteristically, the opener took his time before teeing off — his first fifty came in 86 balls before reaching the second in just 36.
“It’s good spending time in the middle today,” Konstas said after the opening day. “I felt like I had to face quite a few mental demons just to get through that. There were obviously different challenges, and it was all about trying to adapt to the conditions,” he added.
Konstas put up a 198-run opening stand with Campbell Kellaway. The pair started cautiously before Kellaway took charge, driving and pulling confidently. Konstas, meanwhile, took longer to adjust to the pace of the surface and played second fiddle early on, even though his intent was always to hit the ball hard.
“It was good to get a partnership going with Kellaway, which I thought helped me a lot. I enjoyed batting with him; I had good chats about our plans and how we were going to go against each bowler,” Konstas said.
This is a crucial tour for the teenager. After an eye-catching debut series against India where he scored 113 runs in two matches, including a best of 60, he endured a slump during Australia’s recent tour of the West Indies, managing just 50 runs in three matches.
With the Ashes looming and Australia searching for someone to partner Usman Khawaja, Konstas will hope for a massive showing in these two ‘A’ games to convince the selectors.
“In Australia, we know he has a lot of talent, and we believe he’s going to be a star in international cricket someday. Right now, he’s still figuring out the best way to play — when to be aggressive and when to trust his defence,” Paine had told the media on the eve of the match.
“We’ll encourage him this series to back his instincts. There will be times in India when it’s tough and he’ll need to soak up pressure, but when he’s feeling good and on top, we want him to go hard and put the opposition under pressure,” Paine added.
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Konstas isn’t the only contender for the vacant opening spot in the senior Test side. 26-year-old Nathan McSweeney, who also made his debut against India last year, is in the reckoning too.
“There’s healthy competition, absolutely,” Paine acknowledged. “But it’s not a big deal for either of them. They’re here to score runs against India. The focus is simply on piling up runs and putting their names forward for Australia selection.”
Even if Konstas doesn’t break through for the upcoming marquee series against England, Paine believes there’s still a long road ahead for him. “People often forget that Sam is still only 19, so he’s a long way from being the finished product,” Paine reflected.
For Konstas, this is the time to enjoy what he’s doing, gain experience, and get better each day. “I just need to back my instincts and try to rinse and repeat each ball with my process,” he said.
Published on Sep 16, 2025
