19-year-old Sam Konstas made a significant impact on his international debut as Australia secured a crucial victory over India at the MCG, taking a 2-1 lead in the Border-Gavaskar Trophy series. Konstas' presence was felt throughout the fourth Test match as he engaged with the crowd while fielding near the boundary ropes. On Day 5, the young cricketer was urged by Australian fans to ramp up the entertainment by mocking Indian spectators and Virat Kohli, the former Indian captain, through imitation. Stepping up to the challenge, Konstas delighted the home crowd by mimicking Kohli's signature shoulder bump in an animated display of humor and friendly banter. His willingness to engage with fans and add a touch of theatrics to the game showcased his charismatic personality and ability to connect with audiences on and off the field.
Konstas was in sizzling form on his debut, as he replaced Nathan McSweeney in the playing XI. The move was criticised by some former players, who felt McSweeney deserved more time, as even the other Aussie batters like Usman Khawaja were in poor form. But Konstas ended up silencing those words, with a brilliant half-century in the first innings which set the template for the match.
Also Read: Pat Cummins explains Travis Head's 'in the hole' celebration after Rishabh Pant's wicket: 'He thinks it's very funny'Sam Konstas and Virat Kohli's altercationKonstas’ 60 off 65 balls proved to be the kind of start which Australia needed in the first innings, and it led to Khawaja (57) and Marnus Labuschagne (72) finding form to get half-centuries. During his knock, Konstas also ended up having a controversial altercation with Kohli. In between overs, while both teams were changing sides, Kohli walked towards Konstas and bumped him on the shoulder. The duo were involved in a heated exchange after that, with the on-field umpire and Khawaja needing to intervene. Meanwhile, Steve Smith got his second ton of the series, hammering 140 off 197 balls as Australia posted 474. In response, India managed to reach 369, courtesy of a maiden ton by Nitish Kumar Reddy.
Leading by 105 runs, the Aussies managed to post 234 in the next innings, despite Jasprit Bumrah wreaking havoc in an attempt to give India a fighting chance. Bumrah ended up taking five wickets in the second Australian innings, but Labuschagne built on his new-found form, and got a gritty knock of 70 off 139 balls, which helped Australia post 234, setting a target of 340 runs.
It looked like a steep task for India, but also considered possible. But Pat Cummins and Scott Boland had other plans, cruising past the Indian batting order, with three-wicket hauls respectively. Yashasvi Jaiswal’s valiant knock of 84 runs off 208 balls was in vain as India once again folded for 155, losing by 184 runs.
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