Andrew McDonald has accused India of making an attempt to intimidate teenager Sam Konstas, with Australia’s coach claiming the ICC have set a benchmark by not punishing the vacationers.
McDonald revealed on Saturday night he moved to examine on Konstas’ welfare on Friday night time, after his on-field spat with India captain Jasprit Bumrah within the fifth-and-deciding Take a look at on the SCG.
Of explicit concern to McDonald was the very fact a number of Indian gamers ran to rejoice in Konstas’ face after Bumrah dismissed Usman Khawaja on the final ball of day one.
The incident got here after Virat Kohli was fined 20 per cent of his match price in Melbourne on Boxing Day, after making pointless contact with the opener between overs.
Requested if he felt the wanted to talk to Konstas in regards to the on-field trade with Bumrah, McDonald mentioned he solely did so to examine on the 19-year-old.
‘My dialog to him was simply round whether or not he was okay,’ McDonald mentioned.
Andrew McDonald (pictured) has accused India of making an attempt to intimidate teenager Sam Konstas
The Indian group surrounded the teenager after claiming the wicket of Usman Khawaja to finish the opening day of the Take a look at
‘Clearly the best way that India celebrated that it was fairly intimidating. It is clearly throughout the guidelines and laws of the sport, as there have been no fees laid.
‘To have an opposition to swarm the non-striker like that, we now have an obligation of care to ensure he’s okay and in a headspace to exit the subsequent day and carry out.’
Requested whether or not he felt India had taken it too far by operating in the direction of Konstas, McDonald prompt a precedent had been set.
‘It is clear that it is acceptable as a result of there was no fines or punishment,’ he mentioned.
‘I’ll go away that as much as the ICC and Andy Pycroft as match referee and the umpires on the market.
‘In the event that they thought it was passable, then I suppose that’s the benchmark we’re taking part in in the direction of.’
Konstas will probably have a key position to play on Sunday, with Australia a difficult fourth-innings chase with India 6-141 of their second innings and main by 145.
The day-one incident got here after Khawaja had pulled away and made Bumrah wait to bowl because the clock ticked down in the direction of stumps.
Sam Konstas exchanged barbs with Jasprit Bumrah in a heated finish to day one of many fifth Take a look at
Konstas has clearly acquired below India’s pores and skin in his first two Checks
India believed Australia had been stalling, prompting Bumrah to boost his arms aloft earlier than he and non-striker Konstas exchanged phrases.
The pair then walked in the direction of one another, earlier than umpires intervened.
Talking after play on Friday, Australia’s seamer Scott Boland mentioned he had discovered it ‘fairly humorous’ {that a} 19-year-old had ‘gotten below the entire Indian group’s pores and skin’.
However India seamer Prasidh Krishna insisted at stumps on Saturday that was not the case, regardless of him being one of many first gamers to get in Konstas’ face.
‘I do not suppose so. Not but. We take pleasure in the best way that he performs the sport and we’d additionally prefer to play the sport aggressively,’ Prasidh mentioned.
‘Like if we now have someone who comes out and says, ‘I can combat you,’ it is as a group we wish to inform them, ‘you may’t take us with no consideration, we’re all right here, the 11 of us versus you’.
‘If you happen to could be as aggressive that is high-quality.’
Earlier within the Take a look at match, a number of former Aussie gamers prompt Konstas ought to change his method.
‘You possibly can perceive Usman Khawaja making an attempt to wind the clock down so he did not need to face one other over, however then you’ve got Sam Konstas making an attempt to become involved,’ Mark Waugh mentioned.
McDonald mentioned that he has checked in on Konstas because the incident
‘I do not know whether or not it’s naive enthusiasm or that is simply the best way he has all the time performed his sport by means of the juniors and likes to have excessive power and become involved within the sport, however actually there was no want for Sam to become involved there.
‘I believe he ought to have bit his tongue and it is acquired nothing to do with him really and it might need damaged the focus of Khawaja.
‘He may be taught from that Konstas. If he retains behaving like that he’s going to have a goal on his again for his entire profession.
‘I simply suppose he’s firing the opposition up. He is fired up Jasprit. You do not wish to fireplace him up.
‘I believe Sam will replicate on that and suppose he ought to have minded his personal enterprise and say, I’ve simply acquired to let the bat do the speaking.’
