NEW DELHI: If Sam Konstas was instinctively inclined to target the much-feared Indian pacer Jasprit Bumrah, it was because of a harmless error made by his father when the adolescent was training.
When the Boxing Day Test began in Melbourne on Thursday, Konstas played up to the anticipation around his skill by slamming a magnificent 60 off 65 balls, making a Test debut that will be remembered for a long time.
More than his runs, it was Konstas’ audacity to take on the world class Bumrah with the new ball that had the experts singing his eulogy.
Billy, Konstas’ brother and a physiotherapist by trade, described how his father’s mistake ultimately taught his younger brother how to tackle pace bowling at a young age.
“We were little kids and the first time dad took us to a bowling machine, he had it on 90 miles an hour, thinking it was 90 kilometres,” Billy told Fox Cricket.
“Dad fed the machine, and he hit it straight out of the middle. I think from the age of five or six years old, this has always been his dream. It’s a dream come true for all the family and feel very blessed and thank God for being here.”
Australia finished the first day of the Boxing Day Test with a commanding 311 for six thanks to Konstas’ extremely aggressive style, which set the tone.
Billy also disclosed that Konstas, who only made the move to first-class cricket last year after playing for St George and Sutherland, was optimistic about scoring well in his debut.
“I’m a physiotherapist by trade and he said ‘Billy, can I get a massage?’ and I asked him how many runs are you gonna score tomorrow?”. He told me ‘don’t worry, I will score a few’. I looked after the young man and he seemed very relaxed,” said Billy.
Konstas appeared to be at ease, but his family was a bunch of jitters. “It’s been an unbelievable experience. Everyone was nervous walking into the ground, heart was pounding a bit.”
