Audacious! That’s how you can describe Sam Konstas’ batting in the first hour of the Boxing Day Test. In front of a jam-packed crowd at the Melbourne Cricket Ground (MCG), on his debut and facing the world’s best bowler, Jasprit Bumrah, the 19-year-old hit not just one but five ramp shots.
Facing just his 11th ball in international cricket, Konstas tried to hit Bumrah for a ramp over the slips (2.5 overs). He missed as everyone on the ground, including Bumrah, was baffled by the decision. One mustn’t forget that Konstas had done so against India in the Prime Minister’s XI match and with success, but to do so against Bumrah on your debut takes guts.
WATCH: Sam Konstas misses first two ramps
The 19-year-old tried another ramp in the 5th over (4.3) and missed once again as the commentator criticized the youngster for being too brash, but Konstas had something else on his mind.
WATCH: Konstas wins ramp battle vs Bumrah
Don’t forget that Bumrah hadn’t been hit for a six since the 2021 Sydney Test. He’d bowled 4483 deliveries in Test cricket and hadn’t conceded a six, but Konstas changed that. In the 7th over, he hit not one but three ramps. The first over to the left of Rishabh Pant. He tried it again the next ball. This time he connected perfectly, and it went for a six. He waited a couple of deliveries and then went again, once again reaching the boundary.
After that, he put the shot away as Rohit Sharma decided to send one fielder back. Safe to say he won the ramp battle against Bumrah and made Team India change their plans against him.
Sam Konstas’ ramp battle vs Jasprit Bumrah: By ball
- 2.5 overs: dot
- 4.3 overs: dot
- 6.1 overs: four
- 6.2 overs: four
- 6.5 overs: six
