 "Sam Konstas recently scored a century for Australia Prime Minister's XI against India in a practice match. Image: Video screengrab")
Sam Konstas received his maiden Australia call-up on Friday after the hosts axed struggling opener Nathan McSweeney from the 15-member squad for the final two Tests against India. Across the first three Tests of the Border-Gavaskar Trophy series, McSweeney scored just 72 runs at an average of 14.40. This included a knock of 39 in the first innings of the pink-ball Test in Adelaide.
The inclusion of Konstas is not the only change that Australia have made. With the injured Josh Hazlewood ruled out of the rest of the series, Australia have added pacers Sean Abbot and Jhye Richardson, along with all-rounder Beau Webster to the squad. So, who is Sam Konstas?
All you need to know about Sam Konstas
Born on 2 October 2005, Sam Konstas is a top-order batter who plays domestic cricket for New South Wales. Konstas recently played for the Australia Prime Minister’s XI in their day-night practice match against India in Canberra. In early October this year, the teenager amassed two centuries during a Sheffield Shield match against South Africa, and soon received a call-up to the Australia A team to face India A in unofficial Tests.
Although he endured scores of 0 and 16 in the first unofficial Test, Konstas bounced back with an unbeaten 73 in the second innings of the second Test against India A. He scored 107 off 97 balls in a match which eventually turned out to be a one-day affair after the first day of the two-day practice match was abandoned due to rain.
More recently, in the first week of December, the right-handed batter scored 88 runs in New South Wales’ Sheffield Shield match against Western Australia. On 17 December, Konstas made his Big Bash League (BBL) debut for Sydney Thunder against Adelaide Strikers, and scored a 20-ball half-century. The 19-year-old became the youngest player to score a fifty on BBL debut. Konstas has scored 718 runs from 11 First-Class matches so far, with two centuries and three fifties.
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More ShortsWhat is the status of the Australia-India Test series?
After three Test, the Border-Gavaskar Test series between Australia and India is currently level at 1-1. India won the first Test in Perth by 295 runs, whereas Australia clinched a 10-wicket win in the second Test in Adelaide. The third Test in Brisbane was marred by rain, because of which that match ended in a draw .
The Boxing Day Test, the fourth match of the series, will take place at the iconic Melbourne Cricket Ground (MCG) from 26 December. That will be followed by the fifth and final Test in Sydney from 3 January next year.