Former Australian captain and ICC Hall of Famer Ricky Ponting believes young talent Sam Konstas may struggle to thrive as a Test opener if he continues to play as he did at the MCG. The cricketing world was caught off guard when Konstas made his debut in the Boxing Day Test, taking an aggressive approach in front of a packed crowd. He marked the occasion with a stunning ramp shot for six over Rishabh Pant’s head, smashing the first maximum against the world’s top pacer, Jasprit Bumrah.
Ricky Ponting Questions Konstas’ Test Opener Potential After Bold MCG Debut”
Konstas stuck to his aggressive approach during his debut match, smashing a quickfire 60 off just 65 deliveries. However, his innings came to an abrupt end when Ravindra Jadeja trapped him lbw with a clever delivery. While his attacking mindset created a buzz, it turned out to be a double-edged sword in the matches that followed.
In the second innings of the Boxing Day Test, Jasprit Bumrah bowled a brilliant inswinger. It slipped between bat and pad, taking out Konstas’ stumps.
At the unpredictable Sydney surface, Konstas faced more challenges. In the first innings, Mohammed Siraj outfoxed him with a clever delivery. In the second innings, Prasidh Krishna made the most of the conditions, dismissing him.
Reflecting on Konstas’ early performances, Ricky Ponting shared his candid views on the ICC Review. “I don’t think he can survive as a Test opening batsman if he continues playing like that,” Ponting said. “He will undoubtedly learn a lot from his first few games, not only as a batsman but also as an international athlete. These early experiences will be crucial for his growth and adaptation to the demands of Test cricket.”
“It’s a big stage, and he clearly relished the moment at the MCG,” Ponting remarked. “But I’ve seen this happen with many young players—they often get a bit overwhelmed by the occasion. It can take a few games or even a series for them to truly understand who they are and what it takes to succeed as international cricketers,” he added.
Despite his inconsistent performances following the MCG heroics, Konstas managed to leave a strong impression on the Australian selectors. His performance secured him a spot in Australia’s squad for the upcoming two-match Test series in Sri Lanka. The tour begins at the end of the month.
Australia Squad: Steve Smith (c), Sean Abbott, Scott Boland, Alex Carey, Cooper Connolly, Travis Head (vc), Josh Inglis, Usman Khawaja, Sam Konstas, Matt Kuhnemann, Marnus Labuschagne, Nathan Lyon, Nathan McSweeney, Todd Murphy, Mitchell Starc, Beau Webster.
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