Andrew McDonald, Australia’s head coach, stated that he felt Sam Konstas was unable to get into a balanced rhythm while batting against the West Indies in the just finished first Test of the ongoing three-match series.
Sam Konstas only managed eight runs off 52 deliveries throughout both innings in his team’s 159-run victory over the hosts.
The Victoria native revealed that Konstas and he had a few chats about his recent experience, and he was confident that Konstas would learn a lot from the uneasiness he portrayed in the two innings, which would help him improve himself in the future.
“He’s debriefing, and we’ve spoken about what it would look like if you were in that circumstance again. And that is what experience is: learning from previous occurrences and attempting to adopt a solution to them. He felt stuck at times. It was very aggressive and then underplayed, and it’s all about balance and tempo.
The 44-year-old believed Usman Khawaja‘s experience, which was twice Konstas’ age, would benefit him, and that the 19-year-old would mature over time and learn to play in his areas of concern.
“He has a really nice partner at the other end who will play out over time, and all we ask for is a little patience and time with a young kid entering Test cricket. He is aware of his shortcomings, but from a batting standpoint, I believe that all players should learn to play with their weaknesses. I don’t believe there is such a thing as a flawless technique, and if you’re seeking for one, you’re looking in the wrong place. “He’ll learn to play with what he has,” McDonald said.
Australia’s top order failed collectively in the series opener. Except for Khawaja’s 47 in the first innings, the top four made few contributions throughout the contest. Travis Head won the Player of the Match award for his half-centuries (59 and 61) in both innings.