December 24, 2024: Australia head coach Andrew McDonald has confirmed that Sam Konstas, the young Australian batting sensation, will make his Test debut in the upcoming fourth Test of the Border-Gavaskar Trophy against India at the Melbourne Cricket Ground (MCG). The match, part of the five-match series, is scheduled to begin on December 26.
McDonald, speaking at a pre-match press conference, praised Konstas for his remarkable development, especially his impressive performances with the Australia U19 team. The head coach emphasized that Konstas’ age (he is still young) should not be seen as a barrier to his inclusion in the senior squad. “We said from the get-go, when leading into the summer, that we wouldn’t shy away, and age was no barrier,” McDonald said, adding that the young batter has demonstrated a wide range of shots and the ability to put pressure on the opposition.
Konstas has been in outstanding form over the past year, particularly with his performances for the Australia U19 team. He was a key contributor in Australia’s ICC U19 World Cup 2024 triumph, scoring 191 runs in seven innings at an average of 27.28, which included a century. His excellent form continued in the Australia A vs. India A series, where he scored 92 runs in four innings, including a match-winning 73 not out. Additionally, in a warm-up pink-ball game against India, he impressed everyone with a classy 107 off 97 balls.
Konstas’ stellar performances are not just limited to limited-overs cricket. In the Sheffield Shield this season, he has scored 471 runs in five matches at an average of 58.87, including two centuries and a fifty, with a highest score of 152.
Earlier this week, Australia made a few changes to their squad ahead of the fourth Test, adding Beau Webster, Jhye Richardson, and Sam Konstas to the squad. These changes come as a result of Josh Hazlewood’s absence and concerns regarding the top-order batting.
The Border-Gavaskar Trophy series is currently tied 1-1, with India securing a draw in the third Test at Brisbane. The fourth Test at the MCG promises to be crucial in deciding the outcome of the series.
India Squad:
- Rohit Sharma (C)
- Jasprit Bumrah (VC)
- Yashasvi Jaiswal
- Abhimanyu Easwaran
- Shubman Gill
- Virat Kohli
- Devdutt Padikkal
- KL Rahul
- Rishabh Pant (wicket-keeper)
- Sarfaraz Khan
- Dhruv Jurel (wicket-keeper)
- Ravichandran Ashwin
- Ravindra Jadeja
- Mohammed Siraj
- Akash Deep
- Prasidh Krishna
- Harshit Rana
- Nitish Kumar Reddy
- Washington Sundar
Australia Squad:
- Pat Cummins (C)
- Sean Abbott
- Scott Boland
- Alex Carey
- Travis Head (VC)
- Josh Inglis
- Usman Khawaja
- Sam Konstas
- Marnus Labuschagne
- Nathan Lyon
- Mitchell Marsh
- Jhye Richardson
- Steve Smith (VC)
- Mitchell Starc
- Beau Webster
With his strong domestic form and impressive performances in youth cricket, Konstas’ debut is highly anticipated, and many are eager to see how he fares in the high-pressure environment of Test cricket against one of the strongest teams in the world.
