Sam Konstas is feeling good as he prepares to open with Usman Khawaja in the first Test against the West Indies this Thursday at Kensington Oval. At 19 he’s already had a Test debut to remember and learned that talent alone isn’t enough at this level. Now he’s more focused on playing smart and mature rather than trying to impress anyone.
“I’m not here to prove anything to anyone about how I’ll play,” Konstas said in Barbados after it was announced he and Josh Inglis would return for this series, with Marnus Labuschagne left out and Steve Smith injured. “I just want to be myself and know when to attack and when to play it safe to help Australia win.”
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Konstas first caught the eye last December with a bold performance, including a notable moment against Indian bowler Jasprit Bumrah. While fans loved his style, some critics thought he got too reckless under pressure.
“There were a lot of lessons for me,” Konstas said, looking back on his debut at the MCG. “That was my first time in front of such a big crowd. I’ve been working on controlling my emotions better.”
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He’s also made some technical changes, particularly with his front foot, to strengthen his defence. He just missed out on being picked for the World Test Championship final and now with a week to go before the Barbados Test he’s feeling more comfortable in the team. He even keeps a diary to log his training sessions and matches.
