The 19-year-old Australian debutant reflects on his fiery Boxing Day Test debut and clash with Indian cricket legend Virat Kohli.
Melbourne [Australia], January 21: Rising Australian cricket star Sam Konstas has opened up about his shoulder-bumping incident with Virat Kohli during the Boxing Day Test of the Border-Gavaskar Trophy. Speaking to 7News Melbourne, the 19-year-old stated he has “no regrets” about the moment that sparked widespread attention.
Konstas, called into the Australian squad as a replacement for Nathan McSweeney, faced the daunting challenge of opening against India’s elite pace attack in front of a packed crowd at the Melbourne Cricket Ground.
A Fiery Debut and a Moment of Controversy
The young batter turned heads with his aggressive approach, notably executing a ramp shot against Jasprit Bumrah, scoring 34 of his 60 runs against India’s pace spearhead. However, it was his shoulder-to-shoulder collision with Virat Kohli that became the talking point of his debut.
Reflecting on his performance and the incident, Konstas admitted he had watched the replay of his debut match numerous times and found it a “special” experience.
“I have no regrets. I like to live by that, and it was so special. I watched it so many times, not going to lie,” Konstas told 7NEWS Melbourne.
India’s Struggles in the Test Arena
While Konstas made headlines for his confident debut, the Indian team faced a downward spiral in Test cricket.
India’s path to the World Test Championship (WTC) final, once clear, became precarious after a shocking 3-0 home series whitewash against New Zealand. The historic loss derailed their campaign and left the team needing a series victory in Australia to keep their hopes alive.
Despite a stunning win in the first Test at Perth, India faltered in the subsequent matches, losing the series 3-1. The victory allowed Australia to reclaim the Border-Gavaskar Trophy after a decade, leaving India to regroup ahead of their next challenge.
Tags: Sam Konstas, Virat Kohli, Boxing Day Test, Border-Gavaskar Trophy, Jasprit Bumrah, WTC Final, Australia vs India, Test cricket highlights
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