New Delhi: Australia skipper Pat Cummins feels what must be going through Sam Konstas’ head as the teenager is set to make his debut for Australia in the Boxing Day Test at Melbourne against India.
Cummins had been in the shoes of Konstas in 2011 when he was handed his debut cap in Johannesburg against South Africa. It is the first time since Cummins that any Australian will make his Test debut as a teenager.
Ahead of his big day, Cummins said Konstas’ naivety as a 19-year-old will be a boon rather than a bane when he faces the Indian bowling attack led by Jasprit Bumrah.
“It’s pretty awesome. I spent a bit of the time wondering why, or how, I was there and how it happened so quick. I just remember being really excited,” Cummins said on Wednesday.
“I think it’s similar to Sammy this week. There’s a level of naivety that you just want to go out and play like you do when you’re a kid in the backyard. You just want to take the game on, have fun, and not overthink it.
“That’s the message to Sam. That’s definitely how I felt as an 18-year-old. I was just really excited, and once the game started, you go into game-mode and it’s just like any other game.”
‘More leeway when young’
Reflecting on his debut, Cummins remembered smacking South Africa’s fearsome pacer Dale Steyn back over his head, not much worrying about the consequences of a mistake.
“I remember as an 18-year-old I was thinking, ‘I’ve got a lot more leeway because I was young’ – almost publicly – so I almost felt like, if I didn’t have a great game, it wasn’t my fault – it was the selectors’ fault for picking me,” the pacer said.
“I was like, ‘well, they’re the idiots that picked an 18 year old!’
“You’re so young starting out your career – it’s Boxing Day, it doesn’t get any better than this. So just enjoy the moment.”
Australia announced their playing XI for the Melbourne Test, making two changes with Konstas replacing Nathan McSweeney while Scott Boland taking the place of injured pacer Josh Hazlewood.
Travis Head was declared fit to play after suffering a quad strain in the third Test at Brisbane while Boland returns after playing in the day-night Test at Adelaide.
“He bowled beautifully in Adelaide. Whenever he gets his chance, he steps in and looks like he’s one of the best bowlers in the world,” Cummins said of Boland.
“I expect him (to do) much the same. He loves bowling here, he’s played probably more than anyone else here at the MCG in our team. He’s prepared really well.
“It is pretty awesome that even with an unfortunate injury like Josh has, you can have someone like Scotty to come straight in seamlessly.”
India opted not to train on Christmas Day and will name their XI at the toss on Thursday.
Australia XI: Usman Khawaja, Sam Konstas, Marnus Labuschagne, Steve Smith, Travis Head, Mitch Marsh, Alex Carey (wk), Pat Cummins (c), Mitchell Starc, Nathan Lyon, Scott Boland
Pat Cummins had been in the shoes of debuting Sam Konstas in 2011 when he was handed his debut cap in Johannesburg against South Africa. Cricket Sports News: Latest Cricket News, Cricket Live Score, Sports Breaking News from Sports Today
