"He was very down to earth...": Konstas reveals chat with "idol" Virat following MCG altercation

Melbourne [Australia], January 8 (ANI): Young Australian batting sensation Sam Konstas revealed his interaction with star India batter Virat Kohli following a physical altercation between both during the fourth Test of the Border-Gavaskar Trophy at Melbourne Cricket Ground (MCG).
The Boxing Day Test between both rivals was a cinematic affair right from the start. A 19-year-old Konstas faced off against a red-hot Jasprit Bumrah, one of the best pacers in the world who had single-handedly kept India alive in the series. The youngster displayed immense fearlessness and audacity in taking down Bumrah with some ramp shots, stunning the packed MCG crowd. Konstas looted 34 of his 60 runs off Bumrah only.
To top it all, Konstas got into a heated exchange of words with Virat when the latter bumped his shoulder into his. The incident rattled both the Indian and Australian dressing rooms in different ways and set the tone for a classic Test match which saw India bundled out for 155 while chasing 340 runs to win on the final day.
Konstas could have avoided Virat after the incident, but he actually sought him out.
Speaking to CODE Sports in an interview as quoted by Fox Cricket, Konstas said that he told Virat that he idolised him and it was an honour playing against him.
"I had a little chat after the game telling him that I idolise him, and it is obviously a huge honour playing against him," Konstas said.
"When I did verse him, I was like, 'wow, Virat Kohli is batting.' He just had that presence about him, all the Indian crowd getting amongst it. Chanting his name. It was quite surreal," he added.
Konstas revealed that Virat is a "down to earth" person and wished him luck if he got selected for the Sri Lanka tour scheduled for January- February this year.
"He was very down to earth. A lovely person and just wishing me all the best saying hopefully I go well on the tour of Sri Lanka he said if I am in," he said.
"My whole family loves Virat. I have idolised him from a young age and he is a legend of the game," he concluded.
Konstas had a decent outing in BGT, scoring 113 runs in four innings at an average of 28.25 and a strike rate of over 81, with scores of 60, 8, 23 and 22.
Konstas played a vital role in Australia's ICC U19 World Cup 2024 triumph, scoring 191 runs in seven innings at an average of 27.28, including a century. He also featured in a two-match series between Australia A and India A ahead of the Border-Gavaskar Trophy, scoring 92 runs in four innings, highlighted by a match-winning 73*. In the warm-up pink-ball game against India, he stamped his authority with a classy 107 off 97 balls against a formidable Indian attack.
In the ongoing Sheffield Shield season, Konstas is the fifth-highest run-getter with 471 runs in five matches at an average of 58.87, including two centuries and a fifty, with a best score of 152. (ANI)