David Warner lauds Sam Konstas’ bravado, calls out seniors for poor approach vs Jasprit Bumrah

Former cricketer David Warner lauded Sam Konstas after his brilliant debut in the Boxing Day Test at Melbourne Cricket Ground. The 19-year-old played a pivotal role in setting the tone as he wasn’t hesitant to challenge ace pacer Jasprit Bumrah and smashed him for 34 runs in his first spell. He dared to play reverse scoops and ramp shots against the India international and it also helped Usman Khawaja settle down on the other end.

Warner liked how Konstas fared in the game but he expects criticism to come his way in the future. The southpaw added that the youngster had a good time playing for the Prime Minister's XI in the warm-up game earlier in the series and credited him for playing an aggressive brand of cricket against a quality pacer.

Also Read - Steve Smith reflects on Sam Konstas’ on-field antics on Test debut

“It was very special. People are going to criticise him as well. That's the nature of the beast, that's the way he is going to play. When someone like Bumrah is bowling to you, you have to try and execute somehow. What he did in the Prime Minister's XI shows he has that talent. But it also shows he is brave,” Warner was quoted as saying by India Today.

The seniors could have batted differently: Warner

Warner wasn’t happy with the approach of the senior batters in the fourth Test. He mentioned that the experienced cricketers struggle to play Bumrah, who picked up nine wickets in total. The 38-year-old highlighted that Steve Smith tried to play differently but he expects more contribution from the top order. The New South Wales-born expects the other cricketers barring Smith and Head to be brave in order to find suitable results.

“(Sam was) being brave at the top of the order, but you've got guys who have played 50 Tests, they could have been brave as well. They could have played different shots, they could have moved out of their crease and batted different. (Smith) Smudge tried a million different things. But it shouldn't take someone to come out there and be brave to get that momentum shifting.

“You have experience at the top of the order, experience in that whole line-up. Travis Head took the game away from them in Adelaide with that magnificent hundred. It shouldn't take that guy just to come and do that. It's the way the Australians played, but other people can be braver as well,” Warner said.