Sam Konstas’s antics remind me of a young Virat Kohli, says Sunil Gavaskar

Sam Konstas’s antics remind me of a young Virat Kohli, says Sunil Gavaskar

Former India captain Sunil Gavaskar has drawn a comparison between Sam Konstas and a young Virat Kohli after witnessing the teenager’s on-field antics since his debut.

Gavaskar reflected on Konstas’ heated exchange with India’s stand-in captain, Jasprit Bumrah, before the final delivery of Day 1 of the 5th Test at the Sydney Cricket Ground. He felt it wasn’t Konstas’ place to intervene when Bumrah was already upset with the delay caused by on-strike batter Usman Khawaja. Eventually, Bumrah dismissed Khawaja with the final ball of the day and delivered a searing death stare to the 19-year-old. The entire Indian team erupted in celebrations, visibly irked, as they united in their reaction.

“It’s not about the batting; it’s about what happens on the field when someone’s behaviour stirs things up. It reminds me of a young Kohli who is upfront and provocative, drawing reactions from the opposition. That’s exactly what we saw here. Just before the delivery that dismissed him, Sam Konstas had something to say to Jasprit Bumrah-something that really wasn’t his business at that stage. ” Naturally, Bumrah and the rest of the team responded, and things escalated from there,” Gavaskar exclusively told India Today.

Bumrah vs Konstas battle

Gavaskar also recalled the Bumrah vs. Konstas battle during the MCG Test, when the debutant hit India’s premier fast bowler for a couple of boundaries in the first innings. However, Bumrah had his revenge in the second innings by dismissing Konstas and mimicking his earlier celebration after Kohli’s dismissal.

“Konstas has suddenly become a figure who gets under the skin of the opposition. He did it in the first innings when no one expected it, and in the second innings, Bumrah had the perfect reply by getting him out.”

“Konstas might be getting carried away”

However, the former India great cautioned Konstas not to get carried away with his newfound reputation.”I think Konstas might be getting a bit carried away with this new persona. Even Shane Watson, who knows him well, has remarked that this behavior is surprising, as Konstas is usually a quiet and reserved person. It seems like his teammates may have encouraged this aggressive approach, but it’s something he’ll need to manage as his reputation grows. Whether in the short term or long term, if Konstas continues to be seen as a stirrer, he’ll be the one the opposition targets.”CM Fadnavis Unveils AI-Powered Road Safety and EV Push to Transform Maharashtra Transport

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