Smith, who will lead Australia in their two-Test series against Sri Lanka in the absence of Pat Cummins, said that he has seen Konstas excelling in scoring quickly and hunkering down in long-form cricket. “As a batter, you can only learn by yourself, in a way. You play the way you want to play because it’s your career. From there, you learn along the way through experiences,” Smith told reporters.

“I’ve seen him 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).”

Konstas reveals chat with Kohli after MCG run-in

Among the most talked about incidents in the Border-Gavaskar Trophy was Virat Kohli shoulder barging Konstas during his debut innings at the MCG. The former India captain copped a fine for the act and Konstas continued to be a target of Kohli’s and the rest of his teammates’ ire for the remainder of the series.

The 19-year-old, however, revealed after the match in Melbourne, he had a conversation with Kohli in Melbourne where he told the 36-year-old that he idolises him.

“I had a little chat after the game telling him that I idolise him, and it is obviously a huge honour playing against him,” Konstas said. “When I did verse him, I was like, ‘wow, Virat Kohli is batting.’ He just had that presence about him, all the Indian crowd getting amongst it. Chanting his name. It was quite surreal,” he added.

Konstas revealed that Virat is a “down to earth” person and wished him luck if he got picked for the upcoming Sri Lanka tour, whoich will begin later this month.

“He was very down to earth. A lovely person and just wishing me all the best saying hopefully I go well on the tour of Sri Lanka he said if I am in,” he said.