Sam Konstas regrets getting involved in the ugly stand-off with Jasprit Bumrah late on day one of the fifth Test but is adamant all he said was that Usman Khawaja’s not ready to face the next delivery.
Konstas lit up the final two Tests of the Border-Gavaskar Trophy series with his audacious strokeplay, brilliant 60 on debut in Melbourne and the energy that he brought to the ageing Australian team.
He was also involved in a couple of flashpoint confrontations on the pitch with Indian star Virat Kohli dropping his shoulder into the 19-year-old at the MCG and Bumrah giving him a verbal spray after he thought Konstas was time wasting in the Khawaja incident.
Bumrah got Khawaja out with the next ball and several Indian players ran at Konstas in celebration, sparking a slanging match between rival coaches Andrew McDonald and Gautum Gambhir.
Konstas told The Daily Telegraph that he was only trying the help his opening partner, who was not ready, but concedes he should have stayed out of it.
“I feel like I love being in the contest and trying to put my best foot forward,” he said.
“I feel like it’s probably a good learning for me. I was trying to waste a little bit of time there so they didn’t get another over. But he had the last laugh.
“Obviously he is world class and he took, what, 32 wickets in the series.
“If that happened again, maybe I wouldn’t have said anything.”
Konstas said he ended his feud with Kohli despite his childhood idol targeting him by dropping his shoulder into him in an attempt to put him off his game while he was ramping Bumrah for boundaries in Melbourne.
“I had a little chat after the game telling him that I idolise him, and it’s obviously a huge honour playing against him,” Konstas said.
Jasprit Bumrah and Virat Kohli celebrate with teammates after dismissing Usman Khawaja. (Photo by Cameron Spencer/Getty Images)
“He was very down to earth. A lovely person and just wishing me all the best saying hopefully I go well on the tour of Sri Lanka he said if I’m in.
“He’s changed the game with his batting style, the way he goes about things. He’s good in all three formats, for such a long period of time. Hopefully one day I can aspire to be that.”
His decision to take on Bumrah by ramping him over slips and fine leg with T20-style shots and advancing down the pitch to attack the world’s best bowler ignited plenty of debate.
Konstas said he thought it was the best option to put Indian’s main man off his game but don’t expect him to always bat like that in Tests.
“I thought that was the best method at that time,” Konstas said.
“With me being new into the team I thought, let’s try put a bit of pressure because all series I don’t think we had a lot of intent like that.
Sam Konstas takes a swing at the SCG. (Photo by Morgan Hancock – CA/Cricket Australia via Getty Images)
“Maybe it was a bit too much. But I thought that was the best style at that time but on future tours, I think it will change with my game plans and how I go about things.
“I feel like I can change gears when necessary. I understand when to soak pressure and that’s when I bat my best.”
Although he comes across as brash, Konstas also wants to be known as a level headed player and he thinks he will be able to handle the hype better the more he plays at the top level.
“Everyone’s cheering. I think at stages the emotions got to me a bit. I loved every second of it but there’s great learnings to be had and reflect on and hopefully in future tours I can learn from that.
“I feel like I want to be a humble person and someone who is giving back to the game.
“I want to try and sign all the autographs for kids and take photos and things like that. I want to be known off the field as being a nice person.”
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