Sam Konstas: Teenage opener makes half-century to remember in outrageous start to Test career

Nerveless teen opener Sam Konstas has stunned the cricket world, lighting up the MCG with a Boxing Day blitz and puting India to the sword to start the fourth Test.

Konstas made a mockery of Jasprit Bumrah, the best fast bowler in the world, clashed with Virat Kohli and revved up a heaving Melbourne Cricket Ground crowd, all within the first two hours of his Test career.

The 19-year-old reached 50 off just 52 balls and tapped the coat of arms on his shirt with his bat after using it to ramp Bumrah over the wicket-keeper’s head three times.

He was dismissed shortly after the second drinks break of the session for 60 off 65 deliveries by the spin of Ravindra Jadeja.

But he laid the groundwork for a strong Australian innings.

It was the high watermark of a day Australia dominated. Play closed with the hosts 6-311 and Marnus Labuschagne and Usman Khawaja both made half-centuries they needed desperately.

Steve Smith, unbeaten on 68 after his breakthrough century in Brisbane and Pat Cummins on eight can set India an imposing first-innings target on Friday.

Pressure is mounting on West Australian all-rounder Mitch Marsh, who was out for four. Travis Head made a rare duck after centuries in back-to-back matches. Usman Khawaja made his first half-century of the series, but was then caught mistiming a ball to mid-wicket at the start of Bumrah’s third spell.

Australia’s new kid on the block could dent India’s hopes of a series win.

The fourth-youngest Test debutant has ever battered Bumrah — the world’s best fast bowler — out of the attack in a stunning blitz that ended three Tests of torment.

In a major tactical shift at the top of the order, Konstas rode out an unplayable first over by Bumrah before turning the tables on the series’ leading wicket-taker.

He attempted audacious reverse scoops with the 11th and the 14th ball he faced. Then he tried again, with the next one flying over the wicket-keeper and racing to the fence. Then the very next delivery went for six.

Konstas hit six boundaries and two dazzling sixes on his way to 60 off just 65 balls.

He came face-to-face with Mohammed Siraj after striding down the wicket to him, swatted away poorly aimed short balls and worked his crease to access all parts of the ground.

After one over he gestured to rev up the record crowd of 87,242 as if he was the conductor in the middle of the MCG. When he reached his half-century he patted the the coat or arms on his chest with his bat.

It was the highest attendance for any day of cricket against India in Australia.

He inflicted more damage immediately after that, launching Siraj for a four over mid-wicket. His downfall came when India called on Ravindra Jadeja — partnering Washington Sundar in this Test — and he attempted to defend the left-arm spinner.

The onslaught on Bumrah, who has now taken 24 wickets for the series, including 3-75 on Thursday, was a marked change of approach from Australia.

It had been hinted Konstas had been brought in to be more proactive against the new-ball weapon, but Australia couldn’t have dreamed of landing a gut punch like this.

Bumrah didn’t take a wicket until the first ball of his third spell, which was an uncharacteristic half-tracker that Khawaja hit to mid-wicket on 57.

“It was so impactful against Bumrah in the morning session, just knocked India off kilter for the whole morning,” Channel 7 analyst and former Test quick Trent Copeland told The West Australian.

“We just haven’t had that the whole summer, we have some legendary players in the Australian team and it took a 19-year-old with that sort of brave, brash attitude to come out and have a crack at it and it paid off.

“It just makes you think about Plan B and Bumrah has not had to think about anything other than Plan A the whole summer.

“In the first session when the ball is at its newest and the wicket is offering a bit, you have to think about third man, deep square and do you have to bowl away from the stumps? It was just magic.”

The opening day slowed to a canter with Labuschagne and Khawaja at the crease. Smith took it up a level beyond tea after Labuschagne hit a Washington ball to Kohli for 72.

Head and Marsh had the spring-loaded diving board to launch in the final session, but took a late tumble.

Question marks have hung over Marsh all summer as he battles injury niggles that have restricted his bowling after a limited preparation, but the heat will rise before the Sydney Test if he doesn’t make a score, or offer more with the ball, in the coming days.

Marsh’s poor effort to put Bumrah into the Ponsford Stand had him caught-behind pulling, while Head shouldered arms to the same bowler and was bowled for a seven-ball duck.

Alex Carey’s Konstas-inspired attack of the second new ball ended when he copped a back-of-a-length delivery from Akash Deep that seamed away from him for 31 off 41 balls.

Indian captain Rohit Sharma is expected to bat at No.3 tomorrow in place of Shubman Gill, who the tourists have dropped.

Marnus Labuschagne is 22 and was joined late in the second session by Steve Smith, who is on 10, with Australia 2-176 at tea.

Konstas was struck on the pads trying to defend Jadeja and was on his way after only a brief conference with partner Usman Khawaja.

That was just moments after a brash statement where he declared in a drinks break television interview he hoped Bumrah returned to bowl at him again

“When the ball was coming down I looked to keep targeting him. Hopefully he comes back on, but we will see what happens,” he told Fox Cricket.

Konstas played secret squirrel with his plans against Bumrah before the Test, but it became clear pretty quickly.

He attempted ramps with the 11th and 14th balls he faced and then got hold of three — two fours and a six — off Bumrah. It was the first maximum hit off Bumrah since 2021.

The man who has had a stranglehold over Australia this series and has already taken 21 wickets, could only laugh.

“I think it was a bit of a blur, but a dream come true — look at the turnout,” Konstas told Channel 7.

“Just being fearless (Pat) Cummins was telling me.

“It wasn’t a plan yesterday (to ramp), I was going to play good cricket shots. Bumrah is obviously a world-class bowler and just trying to put pressure on him, trying to change his tactics was the key thing.”

The New South Wales wiz kid took 18 from Bumrah’s sixth over and hit him out of the attack, with third seamer Akash Deep called on to replace him.

After one over, he gestured to rev up the heaving Boxing Day crowd like a conductor in the middle of the MCG. Then he tapped the coat of arms on his shirt with his bat as he passed 50.

Konstas sprinted to the wicket and finished his first national anthem as a Test cricketer with a smile and a musical flourish before riding out a masterful opening over.

Bumrah beat the bat four times in his first set. Not since records began in 2006 has their been more play-and-misses in the first two overs of a Test.

It had legendary Test skipper Ricky Ponting pondering how much of the style was a pre-meditated approach.

“I wonder if he sat back last night and said, ‘You know what, boys? I’m going to reverse sweep him all day here,” Ponting said on Channel 7’s coverage.

The 19-year-old also walked down the wicket to a ball from Siraj and exchanged words with the fiery quick.

It’s a knock not dissimilar to the two that catapulted him into the Test side, a century against India for the Prime Minister’s XI and last week’s rapid half-century for Sydney Thunder.

His partner Khawaja survived an early review for LBW of the bowling of Siraj.