He’s back! Sam Konstas makes century in a session for Australia A

Incumbent Australian Test opener Sam Konstas has rocketed back into form with a brilliant century in the first session for Australia A against India A on the opening day of the tour match in Lucknow.

On the day Tasmania pulled off a thrilling win over NSW in Sydney to launch the domestic one-day season, Konstas’ summer began about 10,000 kilometres away against an India A attack led by fast bowler Prasidh Krishna — the man who dismissed him in his last Test innings on Australian soil at the SCG in January.

This time, the teenager had the answers. On a rain-interrupted opening day of play, Konstas put his name up in lights with a brilliant unbeaten hundred in a stand that steadied Australia after they won the toss and batted. At the tea break, Konstas was 101 not out.

By the 26th over, with Australia cruising at 0-126, Konstas had reached 51 — already more than he managed across six Test innings in the West Indies earlier this year, when he scraped just 50 runs at 8.33 on bowler-friendly pitches.

Konstas brought up triple figures off 122 balls in the 35th over with a big six over long-on before taking his helmet off in celebration.

The 19-year-old, who made an unforgettable Test debut in Melbourne last summer, is still under pressure to make runs in the Sheffield Shield, but this knock will do no harm to his hopes of retaining a spot for the opening Ashes Test against England in Perth on November 21.

On Tuesday evening (AEST), Konstas and Campbell Kellaway (88 not out) had put on an unbeaten 198-run partnership in an extended opening session of 37 overs for an Australian A side captained by Test discard Nathan McSweeney.

The match is not being televised or streamed, despite the setting in cricket-mad India. Local reporters noted Konstas even tried a reverse scoop in the first over of the match.

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Konstas reportedly got off the mark with a crisp boundary down the ground off Krishna, while Kellaway, a 22-year-old from Victoria, adapted smartly to the conditions in an equally impressive knock on a tour that will serve as preparation for Australia’s next generation ahead of an important Test series there in 2027.

It continues a promising start to the season for Konstas, who struck a 146-ball century in a NSW intra-squad match earlier this month.

Konstas, who turns 20 next month, will feature in Australia A’s second four-day game from September 23 to 26 before returning home for the Blues’ Shield opener against Western Australia in Perth on October 4.

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