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Australia's young batting sensation Sam Konstas stole the show with a superlative century in the pink-ball practice match between Prime Minister's XI and India. Australia might have lost the match by six wickets, but the 19-year-old's impressive performance turned everyone's heads for sure.
Konstas' century came in a 46-over-per-side match at the Manuka Oval in Canberra. He scored 107 runs off just 97 balls which was studded with 14 fours and a six. His aggressive batting, particularly against bowlers like Harshit Rana and Prasidh Krishna, was something which caught the attention of cricket pundits and fans alike.
Talking about the match, India defeated Prime Minister's XI by six wickets at the Manuka Oval in a perfect dress rehearsal for upcoming Adelaide Test against Australia. Chasing a target of 241 runs, India rode on strong batting show from Yashasvi Jaiswal (45*), Shubman Gill (50*), Nitish Reddy (42), and Washington Sundar (42*), to win the match. Earlier, Harshit Rana's impressive bowling performance, which included four wickets, helped restrict the Prime Minister's XI to a modest total
Who is Australia's 19-yr-old batting sensation Sam Konstas?
Born on October 2, 2005, Sam Konstas is a promising young right-handed batsman representing New South Wales in domestic cricket. Recently, he made history by becoming the youngest player to score twin centuries in a Sheffield Shield match since Ricky Ponting in 1993.
Konstas' talent was further recognized with his selection for the Australian U19 squad for the tour of England. He continued to impress in the U19 World Cup, scoring a crucial 108 runs against West Indies.
His first-class debut came in November 2023 against Tasmania. Additionally, he has been signed by the Sydney Thunder for the Big Bash League (BBL), showcasing his potential on the biggest stage.
Konstas' impressive batting show has raised questions about the form of Australian batsmen Nathan McSweeney and Marnus Labuschagne, who struggled in the first Test against India. The Australian selectors will undoubtedly be considering Konstas as a potential option for future Test matches.
McSweeney, who made his Test debut in Perth, struggled to make an impact, scoring just 10 and 0 in the two innings in the Perth Test against India. He was dismissed by Jasprit Bumrah in both innings.
On the other hand, Marnus Labuschagne, another Australian top-order batter, has also been under scrutiny for his recent performances. In the Perth Test, he scored just 2 runs off 52 balls, the slowest Test knock by an Australian top-order batter in history. Nathan McSweeney has been excluded from the Australian squad for the second Test. However, if Marnus Labuschagne and McSweeney continue their poor form in the upcoming matches, there's a possibility that Konstas might get an opportunity to make his Test debut.
Notably, the second Test between India and Australia is scheduled to start on December 6 at the Adelaide Oval.
