Young Australian all-rounder Oliver Peake has revealed Sam Konstas’ fiery response to India’s star batsman Virat Kohli after he shouldered him during his Test debut at the 2024 Melbourne Cricket Ground (MCG). There was a dramatic encounter in the Boxing Day Test between India and Australia when 19-year-old Sam Konstas clashed with Kohli after a shoulder incident.
Konstas stunned the Indian bowlers with a remarkable Test debut, reaching his fifty with aggressive stroke play, including a reverse and a paddle against fast bowler Jasprit Bumrah. His confident approach rocked the Indian side and got Kohli to test the young batsman’s temperament on the shoulder punt.
As tempers flared on the field, the umpire and Australian batsman Usman Khawaja had to step in to calm the situation. Recently, Oliver Peake, who was on ground duty during the Test match, revealed what happened on the field.
“I remember I put the gloves on him and he and Uzie were pretty cool out there. Uzie was a little taken aback by the way he went about it. He looked so in the zone and so confident, he looked good out there. It was great to watch as a fan and also as a friend. When Kohli charged him with his shoulder, Sam said, ‘I know you’re a good player, but have some respect’ “I know you’re a good player, but Peakerick told Gradeter The Peakerick.”
The confrontation with Kohli was not the only incident involving Konstas and the Indian players during the series. In the following Test at the Sydney Cricket Ground, Konstas engaged in a verbal spat with Jasprit Bumrah during the first day’s final. When Usman Khawaja struck, Konstas’ comments drew a strong reaction from Bumrah, who dismissed Khawaja on the next ball.
Meanwhile, despite a promising start, Konstas’ form dipped after his entertaining debut. His subsequent scores included 23 and 22 against India, followed by lower totals of 3, 5, 27, 17 and two ducks in matches against the West Indies. as a result he will be left out of the Australian Test squad for the first Test of the Ashes 2025-26.
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Issued by:
Rishabh Beniwal
Published on:
November 20, 2025
