The Border-Gavaskar Trophy 2024-25 witnessed some fiery and heated moments on the field, from Mohammed Siraj vs. Travis Head to the recent Sam Konstas vs. Jasprit Bumrah. The Australian young debutant Sam Konstas on his debut match was seen with an on-field altercation with the Indian star batter Virat Kohli. Later in the recently concluded Test at Sydney, the 19-year-old was again seen arguing with India's stand-in captain, Jasprit Bumrah, before he dismissed Usman Khawaja with a stunning spell.
Former Australian cricketer Mitchell Johnson believes that India tried playing the mind game and applied the two vs. 11 formula, but it didn't turn out to be in their favor as they lost the Sydney Test by 6 wickets. Australia won the series 3-1 and claimed the Border-Gavaskar Trophy almost after a decade.
"The Indian side appeared to embrace the mindset that it was 'two against 11" out in the middle, aiming to make the Aussie batters feel isolated and under pressure. The focus was on not just testing the technical skills of their opponents but also challenging their mental toughness."
"In Test cricket, it's crucial to create that environment, one where the batters are distracted from their primary objective. This psychological edge can often prove to be just as important as any physical skill in the game. Trying to intimidate the Aussie rookies didn't really pay off, with both Konstas and Beau Webster proving their worth."
Further, he stated that Konstas supported his teammate, but it was the wrong time for that kind of engagement.
"I appreciate what Konstas was trying to do by supporting his teammate, but it was simply the wrong time for that kind of engagement. At that late stage of the day, there could only be one winner."
"I wonder if Khawaja had a chat with Konstas or if any of the other senior players offered him some advice after the day's play on how to navigate such situations. This highlights a crucial aspect of introducing new players to the team: they need the guidance of experienced teammates to understand how to handle various scenarios within the game's dynamics."