"If that happened again...": Sam Konstas on exchange with Jasprit Bumrah at SCG
India lost the Border-Gavaskar Trophy 1-3, succumbing to a six-wicket defeat in the fifth and final Test at Sydney after setting Australia a target of 162 runs
Umpire Sharfuddoula Saikat, centre, gestures to India's Jasprit Bumrah, right, as he exchanges words with Australia's Sam Konstas, left (AP)
MELBOURNE: Young Australian batter Sam Konstas reflected on his exchange of words with Indian pace spearhead Jasprit Bumrah during the fifth and final Test at Sydney, saying that if it happened again during the match, he would not have said anything.
India lost the Border-Gavaskar Trophy 1-3, succumbing to a six-wicket defeat in the fifth and final Test at Sydney after setting Australia a target of 162 runs. With this loss, India is officially out of contention for the ICC World Test Championship final at Lord's in June next year, as Australia and South Africa have sealed their places. The incident of Konstas being involved in the exchange of words with stars Virat Kohli and Bumrah and the consequent show of aggression by the Indian team rattled both Indian and Australian dressing rooms in different ways.
During the final Test at Sydney in Australia's first innings, there were some words exchanged between Bumrah and Konstas. Near the end of the first day of play, Konstas had something to say to the Indian star, who took the wicket of Usman Khawaja on the next ball to end the proceedings for the day. After getting Khawaja, Bumrah was seen walking in Konstas' direction and staring at him. Speaking to CODE Sports as quoted by Fox Cricket, Konstas revealed that he told Bumrah that Khawaja was not ready to face him.
"I feel like I love being in the contest and trying to put my best foot forward," Konstas said.
"I feel like it is probably a good learning for me. I was trying to waste a little bit of time there so they did not get another over. But he (Bumrah) had the last laugh."
"Obviously he is world class and he took, what, 32 wickets in the series. If that happened again, maybe I wouldn't have said anything," he concluded.
Konstas had a decent outing in BGT, scoring 113 runs in four innings at an average of 28.25 and a strike rate of over 81, with scores of 60, 8, 23 and 22.
On the other hand, Bumrah had an all-time great Border-Gavaskar Trophy campaign, taking 32 scalps in five matches, most by an Indian during an away series, at an average of 13.06 and best figures of 6/76. He took a total of three five-wicket hauls and was given the 'Player of the Series' award. Despite his superhuman effort and fight, India could not win the trophy.