NSW Opener Shines with Stunning Century Against Test-Level Indian Attack

 Teen sensation Sam Konstas announced himself on the big stage with a blistering 107 off 97 balls for the Prime Minister's XI against a near full-strength Indian bowling attack. The rain-affected pink-ball match at Manuka Oval became a showcase of Konstas' prodigious talent as he smashed 14 boundaries and a towering six in a three-hour masterclass.

Originally scheduled as a two-day fixture, rain reduced the game to a 46-over affair. Konstas seized the opportunity, unleashing an array of powerful drives, hooks, and innovative scoops against a formidable Indian attack that only missed pace ace Jasprit Bumrah.

The 19-year-old went on the offensive, rocketing from 13 to 76 in just 38 deliveries, hammering seam-bowling debutant Harshit Rana and others to all corners of the ground. His 50 came in style with a towering hook for six, underscoring his ability to dominate world-class bowlers.

After India triggered a PM's XI collapse of 5-7, Konstas steadied the innings in partnership with ACT local Hanno Jacobs, who contributed a composed 61.

Konstas, who shot into the spotlight in October with twin Sheffield Shield centuries—the youngest since Ricky Ponting to achieve the feat—has been knocking on the Test team’s door. While he narrowly missed out on selection, performances like this and his unbeaten 73 for Australia A last month keep him firmly in contention.

On a tough day for other Australian hopefuls, Matt Renshaw managed just five runs, edging Mohammed Siraj to the slips early. With the ball, Scott Boland bowled economically in a 10-over spell, finishing with figures of 0-36 before rejoining Australia's camp in Adelaide, where he is likely to replace the injured Josh Hazlewood in the second Test.

For India, Shubman Gill looked fluent with a retired 50 in his comeback from injury, while opener Yashasvi Jaiswal contributed a quickfire 45. However, skipper Rohit Sharma could only manage 11 runs in his first hit of the tour.

India comfortably chased down the PM's XI’s 240, finishing at 5-257. Despite the loss, the match provided invaluable exposure for Australia’s young talents, especially Konstas, who continues to make a strong case for higher honors.

Upcoming Fixtures:

NRMA Insurance Men’s Test Series v India

Second Test: December 6-10, Adelaide Oval (D/N)

Third Test: December 14-18, The Gabba, Brisbane

Fourth Test: December 26-30, MCG, Melbourne

Fifth Test: January 3-7, SCG, Sydney

Australia Squad for Second Test:

Pat Cummins (c), Scott Boland, Alex Carey (wk), Josh Hazlewood, Travis Head, Josh Inglis, Usman Khawaja, Marnus Labuschagne, Nathan Lyon, Mitch Marsh, Nathan McSweeney, Steve Smith, Mitchell Starc, Beau Webster.

India Squad:

Rohit Sharma (c), Jasprit Bumrah (vc), Yashasvi Jaiswal, KL Rahul, Abhimanyu Easwaran, Devdutt Padikkal, Shubman Gill, Virat Kohli, Rishabh Pant, Sarfaraz Khan, Dhruv Jurel, Ravichandran Ashwin, Ravindra Jadeja, Mohammed Siraj, Akash Deep, Prasidh Krishna, Harshit Rana, Nitish Kumar Reddy, Washington Sundar.

Reserves: Mukesh Kumar, Navdeep Saini, Khaleel Ahmed, Yash Dayal.

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