On a sprightly first day of the Boxing Day Test in Melbourne, Australian opener Sam Konstas spoke about his on-field encounter with Virat Kohli on Day 1, claiming that the former India captain’s contact was not intentional. The incident happened on Day 1, making Konstas’s first Test innings even more intense.
Kohli lit the fuse when he seemed to make a point of bumping into the 19-year-old as he looked to get in the faces of the Indian bowlers, Australia having won the toss and chosen to bat. Konstas, aggressive and full of audacious reverse scoops, was right in the thick of it, going toe-to-toe with Jasprit Bumrah and Mohammed Siraj.
The drama simply grew, as Kohli, at the slip cordon, persisted to get under Konstas’s skin in trying to break the debutant’s concentration. It grew heated during a drinks break as Kohli bumped into Konstas at the fall of the 10th over of the Australian innings.
“I was just adjusting my gloves. I think he accidentally bumped into me. That’s just cricket—tension happens,” Konstas said after his brisk 60 off 65 balls.
There has been some speculation that Kohli may be in line for disciplinary action from the contact, with reports suggesting he was in line for a potential one-match ban. Kohli has been fined 20 percent of his match fee over the incident, a source said.
About the competitive atmosphere, Konstas said, “I was just trying to engage in the contest and bring out my best against whoever I faced. The heat of the moment is good for me; it helps me perform better. I hope it continues in the next innings.”
After the scuffle, Konstas showed his skills, coming after Bumrah and whacking him for a boundary. He managed an incredible 34 runs off Bumrah’s first spell, the most by any batter against the top-ranked fast bowler in Test cricket.
Discussing his aggressive shots against Bumrah, Konstas revealed that they were all part of a strategy to unsettle the bowler. Having initially found it tough to get hold of Bumrah’s deliveries, he changed his game and started connecting with his unorthodox shots.
“It took me a while to adjust to the wicket and his action. He beat my bat a few times, but I was fortunate to connect with some,” he said.
The audacious batting of Konstas at the top of the order seemed to rub off on the rest of the lineup, as Usman Khawaja, Steve Smith, and Marnus Labuschagne each made fifties, with Australia reaching 311 for 6 by day’s end.
