Ricky Ponting questions Sam Konstas's Test future despite impressive debut
What's the story
Former Australian cricket captain Ricky Ponting has raised doubts over Sam Konstas's longevity as a Test opener.
This comes despite Konstas's stellar debut against India in the Boxing Day Test at the Melbourne Cricket Ground (MCG).
The 19-year-old cricketer displayed his audacious batting style by attacking India's best bowler Jasprit Bumrah and reverse-scooping him for boundaries.
Expert advice
Ponting advises Konstas to refine his technique
While praising Konstas's fearless attitude, Ponting has asked the young opener to work on his technique.
He said on the ICC Review show, "I don't think he can survive as a Test opening batsman playing like that all the time."
The former skipper feels Konstas will learn a lot from his first games as an international sportsman and stressed on adjusting to this level of cricket.
Debut performance
Konstas's debut series: A blend of courage and controversy
Konstas's debut series was defined by audacious batting and on-field confrontations.
He scored a commendable 60 runs off 65 balls in his debut in the fourth Test in Melbourne.
However, his aggressive approach wasn't limited to just batting as he engaged in verbal exchanges with Bumrah during the fifth Test in Sydney.
Despite the controversies, Konstas finished the series with 113 runs from two matches at an average of 28.25 and a strike rate of 81.88.
On-field confrontations
Konstas's on-field incidents
Konstas also had a few on-field run-ins with Indian cricketers. He had a verbal duel with Bumrah and was on the receiving end of a shoulder charge by Virat Kohli.
On his Test debut, Konstas made headlines for his banter with Kohli and kept gesturing his shoulder charge toward the crowd.
In the fifth Test, he tried delaying proceedings late on Day 1, irking India's stand-in skipper Bumrah.