Virat Kohli, an India stalwart, has recently been uneven in his form.
Ahead of the 2025 ICC Champions Trophy, former Australian all-rounder Shane Watson has praised Sam Konstas for his thrilling debut in the current Border-Gavaskar Trophy series and expressed his support for Indian cricket legends Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma. With his bold performance in the fourth Test at the Melbourne Cricket Ground (MCG), 19-year-old Konstas stunned the cricketing world. On the first day, Konstas showed off unusual strokes like scoops against India’s top bowler, Jasprit Bumrah, and he hit a fast 60 from 65 balls.But his flamboyant attitude wasn’t limited to the bat, as he engaged in a heated argument with Kohli that resulted in the latter receiving a punishment for a shoulder barge.
Watson, a mentor to Konstas, acknowledged that he was taken aback by the child’s confrontational demeanor and outgoing nature.
“Sam is a serious thinker who is often quiet and reserved. But the side of him we witnessed on the field was entirely different. He flourishes on the large stage and is a born showman. At the ICC Champions Trophy Tour tournament, Watson remarked, “He displayed remarkable confidence and wasn’t overwhelmed by the occasion.”Konstas’s reputation as a disruptor was further cemented when Indian starter Yashasvi Jaiswal became irritated with his boundary antics and under-the-helmet comments.
Konstas will be the youngest Australian to play in a Test match at his home field, the Sydney Cricket field (SCG), and the Australian team is now getting ready for his debut there. Two Test matches in Sri Lanka under radically contrasting circumstances will also be part of the task.”Teams are already adapting to Sam’s style of play, as demonstrated by the second innings at Melbourne.” Bumrah dismissed him with an inducker after India switched their field positions, Watson wrote. We’ll witness Sam’s development at this point as he adjusts to the world’s top bowlers. He can make swift adjustments since he has the necessary gears and technical soundness.
Watson focused on India’s star players, Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma, who have been under fire for their recent performances in the current Test series as the cricket world prepares for the 2025 ICC Champions Trophy.Watson emphasized their exceptional ODI records and rejected worries that their Test form might affect their Champions Trophy performance.
“I don’t believe that Virat’s and Rohit Sharma’s influence in one-day cricket will be impacted in the slightest by their present bad form. When they play in Dubai, the conditions will be different. According to Watson, “one-day cricket does really free them both as well.”
