'Konstas tore MCC coaching manual to shreds'

'I don't think anyone's taken or treated Bumrah like that in any format of the game, let alone red-ball cricket'

Sam Konstas tore the MCC coaching manual to shreds with his brazen batting approach and flippant treatment of an intimidating Jasprit Bumrah, former India coach Ravi Shastri said on Thursday, adding that the Australian teenager reminded him of legendary Virender Sehwag.

Konstas, 19, grabbed eyeballs with his scintillating batting on Test debut. He had the Indian camp in disbelief with his bold ramp shots off Bumrah, one of the most revered fast bowlers in modern-day cricket.

"I don't think anyone's taken or treated Bumrah like that in any format of the game, let alone red-ball cricket," Shastri told Star Sports.

"For him to go out there with that swag and attempt some outrageous shots was something else. He tore that MCC coaching manual to shreds."

Shastri said at one point, it felt like "India had run out of ideas".

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"They actually didn't know what hit them. Initially, he missed the first two shots, and there was a smile on the faces of the Indian players. They thought, if he takes chances, we'll get him quickly.' But as soon as this started happening, all the smiles disappeared. The ideas disappeared."

Shastri said Konstas is a pure entertainer like former India opener Sehwag and predicted a successful Australia career for the teenager.

"I'd say he'll have his odd failures with the way he plays and the chances he takes. It reminds me a lot of Virender Sehwag when he first burst onto the scene. He'll entertain when he gets going, and he's born to entertain. If he plays for any length of time for Australia, he'll do exactly that."

Former Australia batter Justin Langer said what Konstas has done is not easy and revealed how the Indian team didn't expect the youngster to bat in the fashion he did.

"He's been given a license to go and attack Bumrah, but that's not easy-that is so hard to do. Even in T20 cricket, I think Bumrah's economy rate is as good as anyone. So it's not easy to do that."

"But the kid was bold, talking a good game, and then he came and put it into action. That's what great players do. Anyone can talk a good game. He came and put it into action, and it was exciting to watch.

"I did speak to KL Rahul before the game. And I said, have you seen this kid Sam Konstas?' And he goes, we only saw him in the Prime Minister's XI game (50 overs). He was playing these ramp shots and all this sort of stuff.' Rahul said, but he won't do that today.' And I said, yeah, sure he won't do that today.' And straight away, Sam Konstas was doing that."

Talking about day one of the crucial fourth Test, Shastri said, "India will be happy that they've come back into the contest."

Australia will resume from 311 for six with Steve Smith (68) and skipper Pat Cummins (8) at the crease.

"I'd still say Australia has the upper hand. They've got runs on the board. But at one stage, it looked like Australia would bat India out of the contest."

"When Marnus Labuschagne and Steve Smith were together, had that partnership carried on, Australia could have ended the day three or four down and in a tremendous position." 

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