Prodigy Sam Konstas announces readiness to play Test cricket as stroke-filled century further bolsters his case.
Prodigy Sam Konstas says he is up for the challenge of playing Test cricket this summer, believing he is in the right headspace to debut.
When Konstas crushed a century off 90 balls against a Test-level Indian attack on Sunday for the Prime Minister’s XI in Canberra, he shot back into the public eye.
Only one other batsman in the PM’s XI top or middle order scored five runs, demonstrating the 19-year-old’s obvious superiority.
Since October, when he became the youngest player to score twin tonnes in a Sheffield Shield match since Ricky Ponting, Konstas has been the talk of the summer.
Before hitting an undefeated 73 for Australia A against India A at the MCG last month, his runs kind of dried up. Although Nathan McSweeney eventually emerged victorious in the competition to open for Usman Khawaja during the Test season, Australia’s team is far from certain.
This week, Konstas will take on the most formidable opponent in the Shield, a Western Australian attack that is anticipated to include Lance Morris, Joel Paris, and Corey Rocchiccioli.
In Australia, teenage debutants are uncommon; Ashton Agar was the last male to make one in 2013. When asked if he preferred earning a call-up right away or spending more time making runs in domestic cricket, Konstas responded that the latter was the case.
“I really want the chance, I love a challenge and hopefully that can happen soon,” Konstas said. “I feel like I’m in a good headspace. It’s been the best few months I’ve had, and hopefully one day I can represent my country.
“For me, it’s focusing about Friday and then trying to score runs to put myself forward. It would be a huge honour to represent my country one day.”