Aussie opener Sam Konstas has failed to fire upon his BBL return alongside David Warner at the Sydney Thunder after Aussie cricket legend Ricky Ponting questioned the youngster’s batting approach. Konstas has divided fans with his fearless approach after earning his debut against India at the MCG, which saw the batter take it to Jasprit Bumrah and the visitors with an aggressive, and often reckless, style.

While the tactic worked for the 19-year-old in the first innings at the MCG and in parts in Sydney, Konstas was called out for not tempering his style when it was needed in two tight contests. And Konstas’ position at the top of the order for the upcoming Tests against Sri Lanka is not a guarantee.

Chief selector George Bailey confirmed they are considering moving Travis Head to the top of the order in Sri Lanka as he struggles when starting his innings against spin down at No.5. Head opened the batting the last time Australia toured India and was solid.

Despite Konstas creating plenty of attention with his all-out approach in red-ball cricket, the Sydney Thunder star had the opportunity to silence his critics in the BBL. Unfortunately, Konstas found himself out for four from nine balls having gloved a short ball from Riley Meredith.

This was in contrast to veteran Warner who started slow, but managed to put on 88 from 66 balls as the Thunder managed to put up a respectable 6-164 at Ninja Stadium. Unfortunately, it wasn’t nearly enough as Tim David blasted 26 from six deliveries to guide his team to victory with 19-balls to spare.

Konstas continues to come under pressure for his approach to batting, despite his popularity after his MCG innings, and copped it after another innings where he failed to score. Before he was selected to play for Australia Konstas was out for a duck in his second ever innings for the Sydney Thunder. Despite the backlash, Konstas is still considered one of the best batting talents in Australia and is on the plane to Sri Lanka with the chance of opening again.

Ricky Ponting questions Sam Konstas’ approach

With Konstas’ position at the top of the order up for debate in Sri Lanka, former captain Ponting has delivered his view on the 19-year-old’s approach. While Konstas delighted Aussie fans having taken it to Bumrah at the MCG and SCG, he only managed one stellar score of 60 to go along with his highlights.

Konstas mixed attacking flair with his usual style, which saw him selected. Konstas scored 113 runs from his two matches at an average of 28.25 and a strike rate of 81.88. However, Ponting does not feel his all-out-attack approach will get him very far in red-ball cricket and the youngster might need to rein in his aggression if he wants to succeed in the long haul.

“I don’t think he can survive as an opener if he continues to play like that. He will learn from the two games he played against India,” Ponting said on the ICC Review Show. “It was a big stage and he enjoyed at the Melbourne Cricket Ground.”

While Ponting suggested the approach might not be sustainable for a long-career, he also claimed Konstas was still figuring out his style at the top level and it could have been an invaluable learning curve for the young batter.

“I have seen young players getting overawed before making their mark in international cricket. They need a few games or a couple of series to work out on what they need to be successful,” he added. Despite Ponting’s warning, stand-in Aussie captain Steve Smith has encouraged Konstas to continue to find his feet at the top level.

RELATED:

Steve Smith to nurture Sam Konstas on Sri Lanka tour

Smith will be stepping in for Pat Cummins as captain for the two matches against Sri Lanka and will be given the task of mentoring youngsters Konstas and Cooper Connelly on the tour. And Smith has opted to defend Konstas and his mindset heading into the tour having claimed the 19-year-old needs to back the way he approaches games.

“As a batter, you can only learn by yourself, in a way,” Smith said, having copped questions about his own quirky batting technique for years. “You play the way you want to play because it’s your career. From there, you learn along the way through experiences. I’ve seen him (Konstas) bat like that and I’ve seen him bat more conventionally in a Shield game and do really well.

“He’s got all the tools and I think he has the ability when he wants to, to absorb pressure. And he’s got the ability to put a lot of pressure back on (the bowlers). It’s something he’ll learn. He’s only 19, he’s a kid. He’s going to have plenty of experiences and he’s going to learn them along the way. He’s got a bright future.”