'Have To Learn On The Job': Sam Konstas Told To 'Tighten Up' Part Of His Game
Michael Hussey believes teenage Test opener Sam Konstas needs time to develop after struggling against West Indies in Barbados, scoring just 3 and 5 runs against Shamar Joseph.
Former Australian batter Michael Hussey believes that teenage Test opener Sam Konstas will need time to develop after a disappointing performance in the first Test against West Indies in Barbados.
Konstas struggled against Shamar Joseph's fierce opening spells in both innings, falling to the West Indies pacer twice and scoring just 3 and 5 runs.
The 19-year-old had a brilliant start to his international career last summer with a swift half-century against India at the MCG but has since failed to surpass fifty in five consecutive Test innings.
With Steve Smith out due to injury and Marnus Labuschagne omitted, Australia's inexperienced top four struggled on a challenging Bridgetown pitch, collapsing to 3-22 and then 4-65 before the middle order stabilized the innings.
'The conditions did not look easy for batting at all, there was a lot of uneven bounce, up and down bounce, sideways movement off the seam as well. (Konstas) is still a very young player, he's only 19. He's still trying to figure out his own game, at first-class level, let alone Test-match level in conditions that are so foreign to what he would be used to. I'm not sure he would have ever batted on pitches like what they're getting in the West Indies," he told Fox Cricket.
'It's great education for him, and we're going to have to have some patience. It's going to take some time and he's going to have to learn on the job a bit. But there's no denying he's got some great talent. I'm sure that the journey is going to be bumpy, particularly in the first few years. There's going to be some ups and downs, but let's hope there are a few more ups than downs along the way," he added.
Hussey feels Konstas is undergoing an identity crisis at the crease, observing that the young opener seemed 'a little bit unsure" about the best approach to batting in unfamiliar conditions against a new opposition.
'You're asking a young kid that hasn't played a lot of first-class cricket to do that at Test match level. It's a tough ask," Hussey said.
'You need to have a really strong technique to be able to get through some difficult spells early, get that shine off the ball, and then it's finding the balance of soaking up that pressure but still being able to score and put pressure back on the bowlers.
'Generally speaking his technique looks pretty sound. Then the mental side of the game kicks in and he's just a little bit unsure, but that's probably down to unfamiliar conditions in the West Indies."
Hussey also highlighted Konstas' vulnerability to inswinging deliveries, noting how Shamar Joseph trapped him leg-before in the first innings.
'The ball coming back into him seems to give him a little bit of trouble. I feel as though teams will be targeting balls running back towards the stumps, LBW and bowled. He could probably just tighten up on that little part of his game a bit, but generally speaking his technique is reasonably sound," the former batter said.
With the return of Smith for the second Test in Grenada, Australia will hope for a better top-order performance to seal the three-match series.
First Published:
July 03, 2025, 14:55 IST
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