\n<\/p>\n
Konstas may have failed with those first two scoops, but he tried again soon after and hit Bumrah – the world’s top-ranked bowler – for a six and two fours on the way to 60 from 65 balls.<\/p>\n
Those shots marked one of the most remarkable starts to a Test career in recent memory \u2013 cult hero status gained in a matter of minutes by a batter long tipped for the top.<\/p>\n
Because, while Konstas’ emergence at the highest level was explosive, the journey to get there has been long.<\/p>\n
He was the Sydney suburb kid of Greek heritage who was scoring hundreds before his age had reached double figures.<\/p>\n
In October he became the youngest player since the great Ricky Ponting to score centuries in each innings of a match in the Sheffield Shield, Australia’s first-class competition.<\/p>\n
Two years before that, and just a month after his 17th birthday, Konstas became the youngest batter to score a century for Sutherland in the top tier of Sydney’s notoriously tough grade cricket.<\/p>\n
The previous holder of that record? A certain Steve Smith.<\/p>\n
“I remember not being too surprised it was him that did it,” says Sutherland captain Tom Doyle.<\/p>\n
The talent has always been there, those scoop shots too.<\/p>\n
“We had a T20 game and he had come off a hundred in the U21s game in the morning,” says Doyle, remembering another innings by Konstas while still aged 17.<\/p>\n
“I remember him getting sledged by the opposition and he preceded to ramp like he did for Australia against some pretty intimidating first grade bowlers.”<\/p>\n
A host of internationals have passed through the club’s pavilion – Smith, Shane Watson, West Indies legend Andy Roberts and Glenn McGrath to name a few.<\/p>\n
Konstas joined as a 17-year-old in 2022 from St George’s – the club where the great Sir Don Bradman once played – in a switch that made the newspapers, such was the noise around him.<\/p>\n
“It is hard to compare,” Doyle says. “From a talent level, Sam is no doubt on par.<\/p>\n
“He is on this upwards curve where he keeps getting better and better each time he plays.”<\/p>\n
Those that know Konstas describe him as polite and a hard worker.<\/p>\n
During his time at Cranbrook School, then in his early teens, he first met Islam – a former first-class cricketer and a batting consultant in the school’s cricket set-up.<\/p>\n
He and Islam speak every day, practising together numerous times per week, while Watson, the all-rounder who played 307 times for Australia, has become a mentor working on Konstas’ mental approach.<\/p>\n
“The one that really sticks out was when I was at the rugby grand final and Sammy kept calling me,” Islam says.<\/p>\n
“He wasn’t quite happy with how he had batted in his club session, had a game the next day and wanted a net session at 6am before his game.<\/p>\n
“I remember thinking I have never seen anyone have that desire and hunger to make sure he has ticked every box to give himself the best chance.<\/p>\n
“He hit for about an hour and a half and got 205 in that game.”<\/p>\n<\/div>\n