New Delhi, March 14 (IANS) New South Wales (NSW) coach Greg Shipperd believes young Australia Test opener Sam Konstas is still trying to work his game out and is learning from every outing in the Sheffield Shield so far.
Konstas recently made 50 off 107 balls at the WACA Ground and ensured NSW are still in the race for this season’s Sheffield Shield decider ahead of their day-night last round clash against Tasmania in Hobart starting on Saturday.
Konstas made 113 in his first two Tests against India, averaging 28.25 and enthralling everyone with a rollicking 60 off 65 balls on debut in the Boxing Day match at the Melbourne Cricket Ground. But with Travis Head promoted to open the batting on the Sri Lanka tour, Konstas didn’t get a chance and was sent back home as well.
“It was a really crucial innings for us, the West Australians are a dangerous attack. “We knew that if we’d lost early wickets and then they’ve got (Corey) Rocchiccioli and (Lance) Morris to back that initial assault up, it was a dangerous circumstance.”
“Sammy really got his head down and played according to the conditions and the situation and that was a really pleasing step forward for him. He’s still working his game out. He’s still moving around the country and playing at grounds that he’s never played at before, so he’s in the learning mode as well as performing quite well for us.”
“He’s averaging 41 for the season, scored three hundreds (across the two formats), so we’re really pleased with his development. But we also understand that he’s had an extremely unique start to his career, in particular this season with his elevation to the Australian side. He’s coping with that and learning every match,” Shipperd was quoted as saying by cricket.com.au.
At the same time, Shipperd feels that Konstas’ ultra-aggressive, riskier stroke play still has a place in the longer format. “It was successful in the Prime Minister’s XI, it was successful his first innings for the country, and he played a similar vein of cricket when he scored the hundred for us in one-day cricket.”
“He also unsettled Morris in our first Sheffield Shield game against WA this season at the SCG. So there is a time for playing out of the box. But as a general theme, we’re encouraging him, as most of the most experienced pundits around are calling for, a more consistent approach.”
“Finding the right time in the innings and also considering what the team needs at that particular moment. We’re encouraged that he’s learning each game and he’s considering all of these issues as each innings unfolds for him,” he elaborated.
Shipperd signed off by backing Konstas to partner Usman Khawaja at the top of the order for Australia against South Africa in the 2025 World Test Championship final at Lord’s in June. “We’re hoping that he finishes off the season here well and redirects his attention to that challenge. I’d be very surprised if the Australian selectors weren’t considering him strongly for that opening position in that game.”
–IANS
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