In the ongoing fifth Test between India and Australia at the Sydney Cricket Ground, tensions flared when Australian opener Sam Konstas engaged in a verbal exchange with Indian pacer Jasprit Bumrah. The incident occurred during the final over of the first day’s play, where Bumrah expressed frustration over Usman Khawaja’s time-wasting tactics. Konstas intervened from the non-striker’s end, leading to a heated confrontation between him and Bumrah.
India’s captain, Rohit Sharma, who opted out of the match due to a dip in form, addressed the altercation during a mid-session interview. He remarked, “Our boys, till they’re calm, will remain calm. If you keep poking them, we won’t remain quiet. Cricket khelo, yeh faaltu ke cheeze, bol bachchan karna, shobha nahi dete (Play cricket; this unnecessary talk doesn’t look good). Our boys are classy. We focus on what our job is and work towards it.”
This incident isn’t the first involving Konstas and the Indian team. During the previous Test in Melbourne, Konstas had a confrontation with Virat Kohli following a shoulder-barge. In the current Test, his attempt to unsettle Bumrah backfired when the Indian pacer dismissed Khawaja shortly after the exchange. Bumrah’s reaction was a stern glare towards Konstas, signaling his disapproval of the youngster’s behavior.
Former Australian captain Ricky Ponting also weighed in on the matter, criticizing Konstas’s involvement. Ponting stated, “One guy you don’t want to upset is Jasprit Bumrah. The way he’s bowled and the fact he has got Khawaja out five times in the series… I didn’t like Konstas getting involved. That was not his battle to fight. It was between Khawaja and Bumrah.”
Rohit Sharma further emphasized the importance of focusing on the game rather than engaging in unnecessary confrontations. He advised, “Please don’t do such nonsense. These antics don’t look nice. Our boys are very classy. We only focus on the given task and nothing else.”
As the series progresses, the Indian team remains steadfast in their approach, prioritizing performance over provocation. Rohit’s comments serve as a reminder of the team’s commitment to maintaining professionalism on the field, despite attempts to unsettle them through verbal spats.