Courtesy: BBL/X
After getting picked in the Australian squad for the final two Border-Gavaskar Trophy (BGT) Test matches, which will be played against India in Melbourne and Sydney, teenage sensation Sam Konstas revealed the first reaction to the big news of himself and his parents. The 18-year-old, who got called up for the first time in the Australian cricket team in his career, spoke about how he was thrilled about it, while the parents got emotional, especially his mother, who was in tears.
It was just three weeks ago when Sam Konstas impressed one and all, smashing a hundred against the Indian cricket team at the Manuka Oval in Canberra during the day-night pink ball match while playing for the PM’s XI. The enterprising innings from the right-handed batter, scoring at better than a run-a-bal, led to him eventually getting picked in the Australian Test squad in the BGT series against India, at the expense of fellow opener Nathan McSweeney.
Mum was in tears; I was trying not to cry and Dad was super proud: Sam Konstas
During his latest appearance for Sydney Thunder in the Big Bash League (BBL) against Sydney Sixers at the Sydney Showground Stadium, which saw him getting dismissed without troubling the scorers, Sam Konstas went on to speak about his selection in the Australian Test team. He was quoted as saying, as per the Indian Express, “I was actually in the nets when I got the call from George Bailey, and he told me I was in the Test squad. “I was so thrilled. I called my parents straight away and and they were very emotional.”
“Mum was in tears; I was trying not to cry and Dad was super proud. It’s been an amazing journey with all the ups and downs. I am very grateful for their sacrifices,” Sam Konstas further said. Moreover, George Bailey, the Australian chief selector, had remarked that the teenager’s style of batting would give them “a point of difference” at the top of the order against the relentless Indian pace bowling attack with the new ball in tough batting conditions.
Australia and India are currently level at 1-1 in the ongoing five-match BGT series with the fourth Test set to begin at the Melbourne Cricket Ground (MCG) on boxing day, December 26.
Here is the Australian squad for final two BGT Test matches versus India:
Australia: Pat Cummins (c), Travis Head (vc), Steve Smith (vc), Sean Abbott, Scott Boland, Alex Carey, Josh Inglis, Usman Khawaja, Sam Konstas, Marnus Labuschagne, Nathan Lyon, Mitchell Marsh, Jhye Richardson, Mitchell Starc, Beau Webster
