I Could Have Got Sam Konstas Out 6-7 Times: Jasprit Bumrah – News18

Last Updated:December 28, 2024, 10:12 IST

Jasprit Bumrah opens up on his battle with Australian debutant Sam Konstas who scored a strokeful half-century.

Jasprit Bumrah, arguably the world’s best fast bowler currently, was taken to the cleaners by a teenage debutant in the 4th Test of India’s ongoing Australia tour. Opening the innings, Sam Konstas showed no signs of nerves as he went after Bumrah to make quite a statement. He struck eight boundaries during his innings – six off them off the bowling of Bumrah that included two sixes.

The 19-year-old Konstas scored 60 off 65 before being dismissed.

Bumrah accepts that things aren’t always going to be in his favour.

“I don’t look at things that way. Yes, I have felt good and the results have been in my favour but I have bowled better in different places. This is how cricket goes, some days your execution might be off and you get wickets but some days your execution could be perfect but you don’t get wickets. So I think it all evenly balances out. I have experienced heaps of it. I have played T20 cricket a lot, more than 12 years of T20 cricket” Bumrah told Channel 7.

Konstas employed reverse scoop to his Bumrah for a six – the first time in three years that anyone has hit the fast bowler for a maximum in Tests.

While numbers suggest Konstas emerged at the top in his battle with Bumrah, the Indian feels he was always in the game and in fact there were six-seven occasions when the Aussie could have lost his wicket to him.

“Interesting batsman (Konstas) as well and I always felt I was in the game, I never felt I am far away from a wicket. Initially I felt I could have got him out 6-7 times in the first two overs but that’s how cricket goes, some days it pays off, it looks good, some days if it doesn’t you might be criticising the same person.I love different challenges, always looking forward to a new challenge,” Bumrah said.

Bumrah’s ODI debut came in Australia in 2016 and he also played his first Test Down Under (2018).

The 31-year-old says Australia brings the best out of him.

“It always brings the best in you. I came here on my first Test tour in 2018, I made my ODI debut here in 2016 as well, so it brings out a lot of challenges because the wickets are very flat, the Kookaburra ball does a bit with the new ball and then doesn’t do anything,” Bumrah said.

“So your accuracy is tested, the weather sometimes can test your fitness, your patience, so everything is tested. So once you come out on top after that it really leaves you in a good space and you can become a better cricketer,” he added.