'I want to become all-format player': Sam Konstas sends strong message to Australian selectors

Australia's young opener Sam Konstas wants to become an all-format player for his country one day despite missing out on the ongoing Test series against Sri Lanka. Konstas, who became a popular name after his Test debut against India, also hopes to learn from his senior Australia teammates.

Sam Konstas made his Test debut against India in the Border-Gavaskar Trophy 2024-25 and was impressive in the series. However, he was dropped from Australia's next Test assignment which was the series in Sri Lanka as the team management decided to promote Travis Head as the opener.

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Sam Konstas wants to become "an all-format player"

Konstas was in Australia's squad initially for the Sri Lanka Tests but came back midway through the series to take part in the Sheffield Shield. Despite missing out on the Sri Lanka Tests, he is hopeful of playing all formats for Australia one day.

The youngster also spoke on Travis Head's batting promotion and hopes to learn something from his batting style. He spoke about understanding about the strengths and weaknesses and hopes to be successful in playing sweeps and reverse sweeps one day.

"I want to test myself and become an all-format player one day. Travis Head is a legend of the game, just the way he goes about it is pretty simple, and he takes on the bowlers. I'm very lucky at my age to learn from these guys, and hopefully, I can build on that," Konstas was quoted as saying by The Sydney Morning Herald.

"I don't think I'm that good at my sweeps or reverse [sweeps], but that's something to work on when I'm back in Sydney. Uzzy (Usman Khawaja) and Marnus (Labushchagne) are the best at it, and then you see how Steve and Travis approach it differently. So understanding your strengths and trying to stick to it as long as possible." he added.

Sam Konstas on playing county cricket

Further speaking in the same video, Sam Konstas remembered his experiences of copying England's great fast bowlers James Anderson and Stuart Broad. With not much cricket ahead of him now, he hopes to play county cricket.

"I remember as a kid, we would mimic some of the England bowlers in the backyard Ashes series with my brothers. Stuart Broad a few times and Jimmy Anderson. Hopefully, I get that opportunity to play over there," Konstas said.

"We had a series in England in the under-19s, so we were there for a month, and it was different conditions, swinging with the Dukes ball, so it's invaluable to have that experience. Hopefully, a county team can pick me up," he added.

Sam Konstas' entertaining debut

Sam Konstas took world cricket by storm when he took on arguably the best bowler in the world currently - Jasprit Bumrah. Konstas' aggressive style enabled Australia to take the upper hand over Bumrah for the first time in the series.

The youngster displayed some fearless cricket and played scoops and reverse scoops. The 19-year-old even struck 18 in an over bowled by Bumrah. Konstas struck 60 off 65 balls with 6 fours and 2 sixes in his debut Test innings.

His innings prompted Australia to take the upper hand early in the Boxing Day Test in Melbourne. Later, Australia went on to win the match by 184 runs. Konstas has scored 113 runs in 2 Tests so far at an average of 28.25 and a strike rate of 81.88. Although he missed the Sri Lanka Tests, he is expected to play in the WTC final, according to Travis Head.