Melbourne [Australia], December 22 : Ahead of his potential international debut in the Boxing Day Test of the 2024-25 Border-Gavaskar Trophy, young Australian batsman Sam Konstas expressed his excitement and confidence about facing India’s star pacer, Jasprit Bumrah.
Konstas, who received his first national call-up for the final two Tests of the five-match series, is set to play in Melbourne and Sydney. The series is currently tied 1-1, with India securing a draw in the third Test in Brisbane. The Boxing Day Test at the Melbourne Cricket Ground will begin on December 26.
In an interview, Konstas spoke about the challenge of facing Bumrah. He mentioned that while he has seen Bumrah bowl many times before, he’s eager to test himself against the Indian seamer. “I won’t watch too much of him, but I am excited to challenge myself. Our analysts usually provide feedback on each bowler, and I’ll definitely take a look at that,” he said.
Konstas also conveyed his confidence ahead of the big stage, emphasizing that he is sticking to his skills and keeping things simple. “I’m super confident. I’ve done all the hard work, and I’m just backing my skills. It’s another game, and I’m just trying to keep it simple. As a kid, you dream of moments like this, and getting my baggy green would be a huge honor,” he added.
The 19-year-old has been in stellar form recently. He played a key role in Australia’s ICC U19 World Cup victory in 2024, amassing 191 runs in seven innings, including a century. He also impressed in a two-match series between Australia A and India A, scoring 92 runs, highlighted by a match-winning 73*. In the warm-up pink-ball game against India, Konstas made an impact with a brilliant 107 off 97 balls against a strong Indian attack.
Currently, in the Sheffield Shield season, Konstas is the fifth-highest run-scorer, with 471 runs from five matches at an average of 58.87, including two centuries and a fifty. His highest score so far is 152.