"This honestly just feels like a grade game" - Senior Australian player opens up on interaction with Sam Konstas ahead of youngster's Test debut
Veteran Australian off-spinner Nathan Lyon has revealed that 19-year-old Sam Konstas felt no nerves ahead of his Test debut against India at the packed Melbourne Cricket Ground (MCG) on Thursday, December 26. Opening up on a pre-match interaction, Lyon said that Konstas told him and Mitchell Starc that he was feeling as if he was going to play in a grade game.
With Nathan McSweeney having failed to make an impact in the first three Tests of BGT 2024-25, the Australian selectors decide to replace him with Konstas for the last two Tests of the series. The youngster made an instant impact, hammering 60 off 65 balls after Australia won the toss and batted first at the MCG.
During an interaction with ABC Sport, Lyon praised Konstas, while also sharing an interesting anecdote of the 19-year-old's interaction with him and Starc ahead of the Boxing Day Test.
“Yeah, it's pretty amazing, but, uh, me and Starcy were warming up out here yesterday before the game, before the baggy presentation. He came up and sat down next to both of us and said, ‘Lads, when do you reckon the nerves are gonna kick in?’ I’m like—he goes, ‘This honestly just feels like a grade game.’ So I said, ‘I don’t know what game you play with 90,000 people there, but um.’ That just shows how naive he is in my eyes,” the 37-year-old said.
While describing Konstas' debut Test knock as pretty special, Lyon opined that the batter is probably too young and naive to understand the magnitude of what he had pulled off on Day 1 of the Boxing Day Test. The off-spinner commented:
"I think that's just being 19 and a little bit naive. He’s got great energy. I don’t think he really understands the enormity of the Boxing Day Test match or the significance of the Baggy Green just yet. You saw yesterday, though—he played a pretty special knock there. But yeah, it’s pretty special, though a long way to go,” he added.
Konstas struck six fours and two sixes in his 60 off 65 balls. His entertaining knock ended when he was trapped lbw by Indian left-arm spinner Ravindra Jadeja.
Smith hammers ton after Konstas special at the MCG
While Konstas' stunning knock grabbed the limelight on Day 1 of the Boxing Day Test against India, it was veteran batter Steve Smith who made headlines on Day 2. The 35-year-old, who was unbeaten on 68 overnight, went on to notch up his 34th Test ton before being dismissed by Akash Deep for 140.
Australia posted an impressive 474 in their first innings. In response, India crumbled to 164-5 by stumps on Day 2 despite Yashasvi Jaiswal's 82. Pat Cummins and Scott Boland claimed two wickets each for the hosts.