Australia’s incumbent Test opener is learning lessons from his predecessor to develop his game
Fresh off his first overseas Test appearances for Australia, 19-year-old Sam Konstas is looking towards a former Australian opener to rediscover the form that put him in the spotlight last summer.
Having just signed a four-year contract extension with the Sydney Thunder, keeping him in Western Sydney until 2029, Konstas revealed his club’s skipper, David Warner, has become a source of the inspiration for the teenager.
“I just like his mindset, to be honest,” said Konstas.
“He takes the game on and he’s very aggressive. He’s always trying to dictate terms in the way he likes to, and he’s very energetic as well.”
Konstas shot to stardom last summer with his stunning Boxing Day takedown of Jasprit Bumrah, but endured a torrid tour of the West Indies where he managed 50 runs in six innings at 8.33.
It’s left his hold on an Ashes berth in a precarious position. Konstas will soon head to India with Australia A, where the focus is more on developing a game with an eye towards the 2027 Border-Gavaskar Trophy series, before four all-important Sheffield Shield games that will determine whether he’ll be playing Test or Big Bash cricket at the height of this summer.
Konstas freely admits he’s still learning “when to soak up pressure, when to attack the game” and play the situation and conditions best, and will lean on Warner for help in that regard.
In his first Big Bash season, Konstas opened the batting with Warner five times, making two half-centuries.
This included scoring the fastest half-century for the Sydney Thunder (off 20 balls), while also becoming the youngest player to ever score a BBL fifty (19 years and 76 days).
Speaking on the prospect of building these performances in BBL|15, Konstas credited his captain for setting the example that led the club to last season’s final.
“I’m very lucky to be signing with Thunder for another four years and playing with the likes of Dave Warner,” said Konstas.
“Just even batting with him, just the way he goes about his work, the way he thinks about the game.
“All the boys love playing with him, and even in training sessions, we compete, we train hard, and that’s why we had a really good year.”
Konstas’ extension makes him one of just four players to have a BBL contract through to 2029, joining the likes of Max Bryant (Brisbane Heat), Xavier Bartlett (Brisbane Heat) and Ashton Turner (Perth Scorchers) as the only men contracted through to the end of BBL|18.
Describing the club as his ‘second home’, the Thunder’s teen phenomenon is determined to bring another BBL title back to western Sydney.
“I’m very fortunate to be playing at such a prestigious club and to represent the Western Sydney community,” said Konstas.
“It’s a very exciting this year, we’ve got a young group and got very good signings, like Lockie Ferguson, Sam Billings and Shadab Khan.
“I know our fan base and we love their support, and hopefully we can keep winning and win championships for them for the next few years.”
The Thunder will start their BBL|15 campaign against the Hurricanes in a rematch of last season’s decider at Ninja Stadium on December 16.
Contracted for BBL|15: Tom Andrews (BBL|15), Wes Agar (BBL|15), Cameron Bancroft (BBL|17), Sam Billings (BBL|16), Ollie Davies (BBL|15), Lockie Ferguson (BBL|15), Matt Gilkes (BBL|15), Chris Green (BBL|16), Ryan Hadley (BBL|15), Shadab Khan (BBL|15), Sam Konstas (BBL|18), Nathan McAndrew (BBL|15), Blake Nikitaras (BBL|15), Daniel Sams (BBL|15), Tanveer Sangha (BBL|17), David Warner (BBL|15)
Outs: Liam Hatcher (Stars), Jason Sangha (Strikers)
Uncontracted: Dan Christian, Pat Cummins, Toby Gray, Nic Maddinson, Will Salzmann
Internationals: Sam Billings (England), Lockie Ferguson (New Zealand), Shadab Khan (Pakistan)
