NEW DELHI: When Sam Konstas scored a century as an unknown figure in the pink-ball warm-up game against India, little did he, or anyone else for that matter, know that he would be part of the most rip-roaring episodes of the Border Gavaskar Trophy.
Interestingly, it was not the usual in-your-face Australian character that launched Konstas into international cricket, but a six against Jasprit Bumrah. A bowler, who until the 2024 Boxing Day was being hailed by Konstas’s fellow Australians as virtually unplayable, was launched into orbit by the teenager with a ramp shot.
Also Read:DRAMA! Jasprit Bumrah has heated exchange with Sam Konstas – Watch
The ripple effect it created forced Kohli to change his course out of nowhere and bump his shoulder into a boy 17 years younger to him. Such was the silliness of Kohli’s act that it’s difficult to not call it as the world’s best batter hit by the ‘Konstas effect’.
To get away with a fine of 20% match fee was almost a let-off for the man doing everything but scoring runs, barring a face-saving hundred in Perth.
On Friday, the second episode of Konstas vs India run-ins played out in Sydney, which riled up India to the point that instead of running past the batter he dismissed, Bumrah pulled the hand-brake in his follow-through to turn towards the non-striker, Konstas.
Konstas had come out looking to flay the Indian bowlers, including Bumrah — even dancing down the track against him. But the flame burning underneath the Bumrah vs Konstas face-off turned hottest when words were exchanged just when Bumrah had reached the top of his mark to deliver the last ball of the day.
India’s stand-in skipper was too fired up for anyone telling him anything, and for that person to be Konstas wasn’t even a choice. Like Kohli in Melbourne, Bumrah too changed course, pacing towards Konstas with a mouthful — forcing the umpire to intervene and cool things off.
And when Khawaja, caught in his crease, outside-edged Bumrah and KL Rahul pouched it in the slips, the entire Indian team swarmed the two-Test-old Konstas like angry bees going after the kid who slingshot their hive.
From the slips, Kohli once again changed his course, eyes wide open and roaring like the ‘King’ he is when he scores runs. He shouted his lungs out in front of Konstas, who knew this round went to India, and quietly walked away, probably muttering underneath his breath: “I’ll see you tomorrow”.
“They’re charging in from everywhere…All sorts of drama here,” Adam Gilchrist said on live commentary. “It was Bumrah who turned to Konstas. He learns a tough lesson in his second Test match.
“The celebration was somewhat unique. Normally it’s hands in the air but they all turned and fixed their eyes on one man (Konstas).”
More than anything else, the Indian demi-gods who play cricket have shown their human side over the last 10 days, that it takes just a teenager and his positive intent to enrage the world’s best bowler, a batting legend and a team that seemed invincible until a bunch of Kiwis brought them down to earth and then their neighbours Down Under took over.
The face-off takes nothing away from Bumrah’s terrific effort throughout the series, Kohli’s achievements as a batter and Team India’s dominance of late across formats — while adding more spice to the series. But give credit where it’s due. The ‘Konstas effect’ has taken its toll on this Indian team.
