Sam Konstas has become an instant hero for Australian sports fans after making one of the most remarkable starts to an international career by bravely taking on India in front of 90,000 fans at the MCG on Thursday.
The 19-year-old showed nerves of steel on debut by attacking Jasprit Bumrah – the world’s No. 1 bowler who took 21 wickets across the first three Tests to repeatedly demolish Australia’s top order – in the Boxing Day Test.
Bumrah failed to take a wicket in the first session as Australia went to lunch at 1-112 with Usman Khawaja (38) and Marnus Labuschagne (12) unbeaten.
Konstas’ flair has allowed Khawaja, 19 years his senior, to find form and achieve his highest score of the series.
Konstas was out lbw for 60 off 65 balls 30 minutes before lunch against star spinner Ravindra Jadeja, but not before putting together an innings that will go down in Australian cricket folklore.
His stunning knock prompted Australians and pundits, including West Indies great Ian Bishop, to hail the innings as one of the greatest debuts they have ever seen – with one fan even calling for his image to be added to the currency of the country.
Sam Konstas is pictured pulling the Australian badge on his shirt after scoring 50 from just 52 balls on his Test debut on Boxing Day at the MCG
West Indian cricket legend Ian Bishop was impressed with the 19-year-old’s performance
One fan was so impressed she called for Konstas’ image to be put on Aussie currency
Coming on in place of opener Nathan McSweeney, Konstas survived a brutal first over from Bumrah as he played four and missed to send India into turmoil.
The 19-year-old’s first runs, a two from his legs, were cheered as if he had achieved a milestone before he took off in extraordinary fashion.
Konstas took India’s key player for 14 runs, including a six, in one breathtaking display that all came from ramp shots.
By the ninth over, India had reverted to deploying fielders to the boundary in an attempt to tame the NSW whiz kid’s attacking attitude.
Virat Kohli, one of India’s most famous cricketers ever, bumped into the teenager in a dramatic incident in the middle of the field at the start of the 10th over.
Khawaja tried to defuse the situation by putting an arm around Kohli and laughing him off, but the incident will be closely scrutinized by the match referee.
Fast bowler Mohammed Siraj, a villain of the Australian public this summer, fired words at Konstas several times but he remained unfazed.
Konstas wowed the crowd and left India in turmoil as he started to smash the world’s best bowler, Jasprit Bumrah, with incredible ramp shots (pictured)
Indian star Virat Kohli smashed his shoulder into the Australian in an ugly clash between overs
One fan had a great day with Kohli’s brain explosion on X
Konstas and Khawaja’s score of 89 was the highest by an Australian opening pair during this series.
The fearless right-hander reached fifty in just 52 balls with a range of shots rarely attempted at Test level, especially as a youngster making his debut.
Konstas, the country’s 468th male Test cricketer, received his baggy green cap from legendary former Australian captain Mark Taylor.
He is the fourth youngest Australian man to play at Test level.
Konstas’ innings brought back memories of former star opener David Warner’s international debut at the MCG against South Africa in 2009.
But while Warner did it in a Twenty20, Konstas made his mark on the biggest day in the Australian cricket calendar, when the Border-Gavaskar series was still subtly tied at 1-1.
Earlier, Australian captain Pat Cummins won the toss and decided to bat first, with temperatures expected to rise to 39 on Thursday.
Australia must win at least one of the last two Tests and prevent India from winning again to reclaim the Border-Gavaskar Trophy.
Cummins was 18 when he made his Test debut and he has convinced Konstas to enjoy the moment and not be impressed.
“There’s a certain amount of naivety, that you just want to go outside and play like you did when you were a kid in the backyard,” Cummins said.
Anthony Albanese joined the chorus of praise for Australian cricket’s brightest young star
“You always want to do it right. I said this to Sammy the other day. I remember as an 18-year-old almost publicly thinking, ‘I was given a lot more leeway because I was young.’
“I almost felt like if I didn’t have a great game it wasn’t my fault, it was the fault of the selectors who picked me… they’re the idiots who picked an 18-year-old.”
Australia’s key player Travis Head passed a fitness test on Christmas morning and is in the squad, while Scott Boland replaces injured paceman Josh Hazlewood.
Boland returns to his home ground and the venue of his famous Test debut when he tore through England 6-7.
The tourists have fond memories of the MCG, winning their last two Tests there and having not lost at the venue since 2011.
India dropped star No. 3 Shubman Gill and brought in all-rounder Washington Sundar as second spinner in support of Ravindra Jadeja.
Under-fire captain Rohit Sharma returns to the top of the rankings after batting at No. 6 in Adelaide and Brisbane.