'Don't think anyone's treated Bumrah like that' - Ravi Shastri blown away by Sam Konstas' MCG antics

Sam Konstas made his Australia debut with the fourth Test of the Border-Gavaskar Trophy 2024-25 against India at the MCG on December 26. The 19-year-old was on song on the grandest stage and against a formidable opponent. He unleashed reverse scoops against Jasprit Bumrah and hit one of them for a maximum, making it the highlight of his quick-paced innings. 

The right-handed batter ended up falling prey to Ravindra Jadeja as he was adjudged LBW. He scored 60 runs of just 65 balls with six boundaries and two maximums. Former India cricketer Ravi Shastri heaped praises on the youngster’s exploits, particularly for the manner in which he targetted India's premier pacer Jasprit Bumrah.

Also Check: Watch: Sam Konstas reverse scoops Jasprit Bumrah for six at MCG

"I don't think anyone's taken or treated Bumrah like that in any format of the game, let alone red-ball cricket. For him to go out there with that swag and attempt some outrageous shots—it was something else. He tore that MCC coaching manual to shreds. At one point, it felt like India had run out of ideas. They actually didn't know what hit them,” said Shastri on Star Sports.

“Initially, he missed the first two shots, and there was a smile on the faces of the Indian players. They thought, ‘If he takes chances, we'll get him quickly.’ But as soon as this started happening, all the smiles disappeared. The ideas disappeared,” he added.

It reminds me a lot of Virender Sehwag: Shastri 

Virender Sehwag was pioneered the unrestrained approach while batting in Test cricket. Shastri took notice of the fervour and added that the batter reminds him of Sehwag. 

Also Check: Jasprit Bumrah bamboozles Travis Head at MCG, departs for duck

“I’d say he'll have his odd failures with the way he plays and the chances he takes. It reminds me a lot of Virender Sehwag when he first burst onto the scene. He’ll entertain when he gets going, and he’s born to entertain. If he plays for any length of time for Australia, he’ll do exactly that,” he added.