Sam Konstas, the young Australian sensation, took the cricketing world by storm with his fearless debut in the recent Border-Gavaskar Trophy 2024-25. against India at home.
The 19-year-old caught the eye during the high-octane Boxing Day Test at the Melbourne Cricket Ground (MCG) in Melbourne, where he displayed a T20-style blitzkrieg that left the Indian bowlers scrambling for answers.
Sam Konstas wins the Border-Gavaskar Trophy 2024-25
Australia’s brave young opening fifty included daring tackles and ramps against none other than India’s leading paceman, Jasprit Bumrah, setting the stage for an unforgettable five-match Test series between two of cricket’s greats.
But it wasn’t just Konstas’ bat that spoke. In fact, Sam Konstas has also found himself at the center of heated on-field spats with Indian legend Virat Kohli and ace Jasprit Bumrah.
The Boxing Day Test witnessed a heated exchange between Konstas and Kohli, as the young Australian opener refused to back down, earning both the admiration and the ire of the fans. Well, the drama carried over to the fifth and final Test at the Sydney Cricket Ground (SCG) in Sydney, where Konstas clashed with Jasprit Bumrah during a tense final on the first day.
Konstas himself reflects on a heated clash with Virat Kohli and Jasprit Bumrah
The Indian pacer, already exhilarated, retaliated by dismissing Usman Khawaja in the same over, casting a piercing death glare on the plucky Australian youngster at a packed SGC during the New Year Test. Despite these heated moments against India, Konstas remained steadfast, displaying the fighting spirit that has become a trademark of his debut series.
After Australia won the 2024-25 Border-Gavaskar Trophy by crushing India 3-1 in the five-match Test series, Konstas reflected on the intense moments that defined his battles with Kohli and Bumrah. To be honest, the Australian prodigy admitted that emotions were running high, but what followed surprised him.
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In an unexpected gesture after the match, Virat Kohli approached the youngster, offering words of encouragement that left a lasting impression on him. Sam Konstas told CODE Sports: “I loved every second of it, but there’s a lot of learning to learn and think about, and hopefully I can learn from that on future tours.”
Virat Kohli was very down to earth: Sam Konstas
Furthermore, Konstas shared details of his conversation with Virat Kohli after their heated debate at the MCG. He admitted that he had told Kohli that he idolized him, and the former Indian captain responded humbly. Konstas described Kohli as “down to earth” and mentioned that the Indian star had wished him the best of luck on the upcoming tour of Sri Lanka.
Sharing more details about his dream meeting with Kohli, Konstas noted: “I had a little chat after the game telling him that I adore him and obviously it’s a great honor to play against him. When I versed him, I said, ‘Wow, Virat Kohli is batting.’ He just had that presence about him, all the Indian audience got into them. Chanting his name. It was pretty surreal.”
The Australian gun signed off by saying: “He was very down to earth. A wonderful person, she only wishes me the best. I’ve idolized him since I was little, and he’s a legend of the game. He was very kind and wished me the best, saying I hope I do well on the Sri Lanka tour if I am there. My whole family loves Virat.”
