Australian rising star batter Sam Konstas impressed once again in the tour match against India, scoring a brisk century for the Australian Prime Minister’s XI and showing why he is so highly-rated amongst Australian cricket fans following his fast start to the Sheffield Shield season this year.

The New South Wales batter looked at ease against the pink ball with several of India’s front-line seamers participating in the tour match at the Manuka Oval in Canberra. Nevertheless, after also having represented Australia A in the warm-up developmental tour, Konstas remains untested against India’s premier seamer in the form of Jasprit Bumrah.

Bumrah was a one-man wrecking ball in the first Test match of the Border-Gavaskar Trophy, and continues to establish himself as arguably the best bowler currently going around in international cricket. Speaking to Australian paper WA Today, Sam Konstas reflected on watching Bumrah in recent months, as well as whether he will face the chance to play against him.

“I was watching quite a bit. Bumrah is a skilful player, obviously, and probably the best in the world,” said teenager Konstas. “Hopefully, one day I can face him and see how we go. I feel confident [in my game]. I’ve been training really hard and it’s a great opportunity to play against the best players.”

Konstas the answer for Australia's opener question?

Konstas has now played ten first class matches since his debut, and impressed with a couple of hundreds. With a very still position before the ball is delivered and all the shots in the book following that, he has the makings of a fine cricketer for the future. Nevertheless, Australia decided not to give him the ultimate test with a debut against India in Perth, keeping him in the back pocket to ensure his development is handled carefully.

With plenty of Australia’s stars ageing, including opener Usman Khawaja and Steve Smith, Konstas represents the Australian team of the future. There might soon be calls to give him his debut in the Border-Gavaskar Trophy itself, with debutant opener Nathan McSweeney looking all at sea against Bumrah in a difficult first assignment, where he also played away from his natural middle-order batting position.

Konstas would have impressed Indian fans as well, with some audacious stroke-making against the likes of Prasidh Krishna. Whether he is considered for the BGT remains to be seen, but he is certainly a player to keep an eye on for the future.

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