Sam Konstas: Are you on board with him?

[Carn The Berries]

Absolutely 100% spot on.

The double standards & hypocrisy when it comes to what the Australians do vs the Indians is astounding.

Everyone knows what would have happened if it was Starc that shouldered Jaiswal for instance. Yet the Kohli/Konstas issue was hardly mentioned by the media and nothing form the BCCI.

Yet we know what the outrage and uproar would have been from the precious Indians fans and the BCCI is it was Starc.

Gambhir has a go at Konstas but he didn't mention Kohli? The way Kohli carried on was embarrassing. But nothing was raised or said. Again, imagine if it was an Australian player?

What a hypocrite.

Yeah, and McDonald only called out the Indians for their behaviour, not what Konstas did to instigate it. I think that particular example is throwing stones in a glass house.

Agree about the Kohli one though. All hell would have broken loose if Starc went through Jaiswal like that.

 

[PhatBoy]

Hmm. I tend to both agree and disagree with this post. Agreed that the split grip may be being a tad overanalysed here but disagree that it's judgement over technique.

Konstas has by far the worst front foot defensive technique I've ever seen from a batsman (and a majority of test bowlers too). He's late, barely moves out to it and has a monumental gap between pad and bat. Things you could never say about Faf and Smith in a million years who worked hard on developing a strong front foot technique that worked with the split grip.

When you're facing a bowler who has been putting the ball on a 5c piece and moving it both ways with that sort of glaring technical deficiency there really is only one possible way you can defend: By attacking almost every ball, varying the shots as often as possible and throwing the bowler off his length.

I'd expect Konstas would score well against some poorer attacks and pull out the odd streaky performance against good ones but until he tightens that defence up he's going to be wildly inconsistent and unable to set himself up for stints at the crease long enough to make a difference when the collective back is against the wall.

But, as most will say, he's young. Very young. Time is on his side to develop and strengthen that. The question is: Will he be given the chance and time do so or will he perpetually seconded into national duties in multiple formats?

Well front foot I would say is a million times more important than where his hands are on the handle I agree there

 

[Big Bryza]

People are always going to accuse me of saying this because they think I have an anti-Australian agenda.

I don’t like the Aussie team that’s no secret but it’s just a simple fact: if it was Zac Crawley or Ben Duckett that got 20 in a few overs and got out in that Sydney game I doubt anyone would say ‘they did better than anyone else in the top 4’ or Warner in previous years for that matter. Or one of the numerous half witted West Indian openers my team has seen come and go.

It’s still 20.

He made them think about what they were doing I don’t doubt that for one second. I’m just a bit reserved about the levels of praise relative to the output

Why?

 

[PhatBoy]

Why?

I never did to begin with as I was never raised in a sporting household that beat me over a head with a stick demanding that I do - I chose to follow the West Indies - then when I tried, I didn’t like the way Australia played their cricket so that’s the way it’s stayed.

I have nothing against any of their players. They all seem like decent folk and I rate the majority of them reasonably highly, the bowlers in particular obviously especially Cummins.

 

[Big Bryza]

It's knowing the right time to fly the flag. There was absolutely nothing to be achieved on Day 1, except to p*** off the best bowler in the world. He acted like a bit of a tool... And the Indians responded in kind when they knocked over Usman. IMO it was a d***head draw, they cancel each other out.

Personally, I don't think McDonald did him any favours by having a go at the Indians... He was the instigator in that skirmish (as opposed to Melbourne).

Bumrah dismissing Ussie had nothing to do with SK having a 'word' to him.

If it were the other way around, with Ussie as the non striker sticking up for SK, then nobody gives a shit. Plus, nobody knows what was said and it is actually completely irrelevant. Bumrah was dismissing Ussie for fun anyway.

Just a storm in a teacup.

 

[Big Bryza]

Is that you Andrew McDonald? There are plenty of people who have played at the top level who have said his behaviour (in that particular instance) was unnecessary. They (the Indians) gave a bit back and we started crying about it.

His behaviour? Talking to the opposition? What a naughty boy.

 

[Carn The Berries]

Bumrah dismissing Ussie had nothing to do with SK having a 'word' to him.

If it were the other way around, with Ussie as the non striker sticking up for SK, then nobody gives a shit. Plus, nobody knows what was said and it is actually completely irrelevant. Bumrah was dismissing Ussie for fun anyway.

Just a storm in a teacup.

It is irrelevant to some degree, but also don't put yourself in those positions in the first place.

I would have an issue with it the other way around too. It had nothing to do with the non-striker, regardless of who they were.

If the coaching staff (including the captain) aren't having a quiet word to him to counsel on when to get wound up and when to hold back a bit, they are doing him a disservice. His youthful enthusiasm is great, but it needs to be channeled in the right way.

 

[The hands of stone]

Hmm. I tend to both agree and disagree with this post. Agreed that the split grip may be being a tad overanalysed here but disagree that it's judgement over technique.

Konstas has by far the worst front foot defensive technique I've ever seen from a batsman (and a majority of test bowlers too). He's late, barely moves out to it and has a monumental gap between pad and bat. Things you could never say about Faf and Smith in a million years who worked hard on developing a strong front foot technique that worked with the split grip.

When you're facing a bowler who has been putting the ball on a 5c piece and moving it both ways with that sort of glaring technical deficiency there really is only one possible way you can defend: By attacking almost every ball, varying the shots as often as possible and throwing the bowler off his length.

I'd expect Konstas would score well against some poorer attacks and pull out the odd streaky performance against good ones but until he tightens that defence up he's going to be wildly inconsistent and unable to set himself up for stints at the crease long enough to make a difference when the collective back is against the wall.

But, as most will say, he's young. Very young. Time is on his side to develop and strengthen that. The question is: Will he be given the chance and time do so or will he perpetually seconded into national duties in multiple formats?

It's all connected . So people suggesting either or all arent really incorrect .

His front foot technique magnifies the issue with a split/wide grip .
Plants his front foot on length and his foot points out to extra cover .
So he is always coming across the line with that bottom hand taking over .
A 'traditional' grip would allow him to come through that bit straighter , which helps eleviate that front foot issue.

He always is checking his back lift . I dare say he does this knowing his grip will force that to go wider out , unless he corrects it back prior to delivery.

It limits his hitting/scoring zone as the ball needs to be in the arc for his bottom hand to come through .
Like all bats he would know where his zone is and this then effects shot selection under pressure .

He is a talent and it's all fixable with hard work and the want to do it .
His eye must be incredible to do what he can do with those chinchs in the armour .

 

[ABAB]

McDonald's comments were ridiculous. Criticizing the opposition for intimidation? that's what Test cricket is all about. When you have a new kid on the block, you test him out to see what he's made of. Test cricket is a test of your skill, your courage, and your character. If he passes the test, welcome to Test cricket.

I agree, the contact with Kohli in the 4th Test wasn't his fault and he handled it well. The incident before stumps in the 5th Test WAS his fault. Bumrah had every right to expect the batsman to be ready when he turned around to bowl. I understand the tactic to prevent another over before stumps, but that doesn't make it right.

Konstas is an interesting one. There's no doubt the talent is there. Right now, the flaws in his strokeplay are also obvious. I'd like to see him get into his head that it's a 5 day Test, not a T20 international, and that he needs to leave more balls outside the off stump. Make the bowlers bowl to him.

I mean, Kohli did get a fine and demerit points and carried on the aggression a Test later with Bumrah. Even Sunil said he got off lightly a day after he said both will get a fine lol.

 

[Lia]

Will be dropped pretty quickly and will come back 3-5 years later with more experience, and will be a player from then on.

 

[Kapow!!!]

It's all connected . So people suggesting either or all arent really incorrect .

His front foot technique magnifies the issue with a split/wide grip .
Plants his front foot on length and his foot points out to extra cover .
So he is always coming across the line with that bottom hand taking over .
A 'traditional' grip would allow him to come through that bit straighter , which helps eleviate that front foot issue.

He always is checking his back lift . I dare say he does this knowing his grip will force that to go wider out , unless he corrects it back prior to delivery.

It limits his hitting/scoring zone as the ball needs to be in the arc for his bottom hand to come through .
Like all bats he would know where his zone is and this then effects shot selection under pressure .

He is a talent and it's all fixable with hard work and the want to do it .
His eye must be incredible to do what he can do with those chinchs in the armour .

Great technical summary. Thanks for that

 

[Soggy2112]

It's all connected . So people suggesting either or all arent really incorrect .

His front foot technique magnifies the issue with a split/wide grip .
Plants his front foot on length and his foot points out to extra cover .
So he is always coming across the line with that bottom hand taking over .
A 'traditional' grip would allow him to come through that bit straighter , which helps eleviate that front foot issue.

He always is checking his back lift . I dare say he does this knowing his grip will force that to go wider out , unless he corrects it back prior to delivery.

It limits his hitting/scoring zone as the ball needs to be in the arc for his bottom hand to come through .
Like all bats he would know where his zone is and this then effects shot selection under pressure .

He is a talent and it's all fixable with hard work and the want to do it .
His eye must be incredible to do what he can do with those chinchs in the armour .

The grip is unconventional, but he has scored a stack of runs to this point using that grip. It’s very possible that as his career progresses we will learn that his unconventional grip allows him to access scoring options that more conventional players cannot. We have seen the same with Du Plessis, Gilchrist, and both Smiths.

This is a guy who has been surrounded by elite coaches his whole life, to make a snap judgment on his technique based on what is a tiny percentage of his career would be foolish.

 

[western royboy]

The grip is unconventional, but he has scored a stack of runs to this point using that grip. It’s very possible that as his career progresses we will learn that his unconventional grip allows him to access scoring options that more conventional players cannot. We have seen the same with Du Plessis, Gilchrist, and both Smiths.

This is a guy who has been surrounded by elite coaches his whole life, to make a snap judgment on his technique based on what is a tiny percentage of his career would be foolish.

Gilchrist held the bat high, so he had a longer lever, in terms of how his hands worked, his grip is conventional and no way close to the grip of the others who were all very much bottom hand dominant.

The famous WC Final where he batted with a squash ball in his glove is impossible with a bottom hand dominant grip

 

[PhatBoy]

Gilchrist held the bat high, so he had a longer lever, in terms of how his hands worked, his grip is conventional and no way close to the grip of the others who were all very much bottom hand dominant.

The famous WC Final where he batted with a squash ball in his glove is impossible with a bottom hand dominant grip

It was conventional in that his hands were close together. It was unconventional in that he held it at the extreme end of the handle and as loosely as possible. I think that was the point being made.

 

[Black Diamond]

When are people going to get it through their heads that hitting the ball hard and far =/= iffy technique?

And in fact usually equals very good technique?

 

[Around the Wicket]

If he got out cheaply that first innings he would 100% be copping it a fair bit

 

[Around the Wicket]

Will be dropped pretty quickly and will come back 3-5 years later with more experience, and will be a player from then on.

Thats what they said about Renshaw and he can't even put back to back Shield series together.. gets dropped every now and then to club cricket as well lol

 

[Sphynx]

People need to consider his role and what instructions he was given.

He doesn't play like this in the Shield. He has a SR of 59.

The talent is there, I think a block out of the side would do him good after a taste, but it's likely we will need another opener soon, not afford to have 1 too many,

I wouldn't mind playing Marsh or Green in the opening role tbh with the same license.

 

[HirdsTheWord]

When are people going to get it through their heads that hitting the ball hard and far =/= iffy technique?

And in fact usually equals very good technique?

Steve Smith has scored 9999 runs off an usual technique

i couldn't give a rats arse about technique as long as the runs are there.

 

[Around the Wicket]

Steve Smith has scored 9999 runs off an usual technique

i couldn't give a rats arse about technique as long as the runs are there.

100% crickets a results based game, Shaun Marsh had a wonderful technique and couldn't put results on the board.. results is what matters most.

 

[Snuffaluphagus]

I honestly think the justification of the Indian reaction to Konstas telling Bumrah "he wasn't ready" to be one of the most bizarre things I've ever read on Bigfooty. Didn't realise there was non-spoken rule the non-striker isn't allowed to say anything at all but half a team running and shouting in a blokes face is all above board

 

[Around the Wicket]

I honestly think the justification of the Indian reaction to Konstas telling Bumrah "he wasn't ready" to be one of the most bizarre things I've ever read on Bigfooty. Didn't realise there was non-spoken rule the non-striker isn't allowed to say anything at all but half a team running and shouting in a blokes face is all above board

He was pretty full on for a 19 year old debutant, was revving up the crowd the whole time he was in the field

 

[Snuffaluphagus]

The bat-pad gap is his biggest deficiency and given it got worked out at U19 level, it will get worked out very quickly at test level. If he can't fix that he'll be limited in his career.

His hand-eye is Smith level though, that combined with his self-confidence (undervalued at elite level IMO) gives him an incredible base IMO.

 

[Black Diamond]

Steve Smith has scored 9999 runs off an usual technique

i couldn't give a rats arse about technique as long as the runs are there.

Without getting into a discussion about Smith’s technique, everybody prioritises runs over looks.

However the truth is that almost every successful batsman has a good technique.

There are very few technically deficient batsmen who also scored a lot of runs.

 

[Snuffaluphagus]

He was pretty full on for a 19 year old debutant, was revving up the crowd the whole time he was in the field

I reckon he was an absolute campaigner on field, which lead the Indian reaction as much as anything haha but using "non-striker talking" as justification he's a twat or the Indian reaction was fair is just ridiculous.