Former Australia cricketer Matthew Hayden shared a heartfelt Instagram post reminiscing about Andrew Symonds’s maiden Test century, achieved 18 years ago on December 27, 2006. Hayden, who was at the non-striker’s end during Symonds’s iconic knock against England in the Boxing Day Test at the MCG, drew parallels to the fearless performance of debutant Sam Konstas in Australia’s ongoing Melbourne Test against India.
Hayden’s tribute captured the spirit of resilience and flair that defined Symonds’s 156-run knock and highlighted the similarities with Konstas’s debut effort. At just 19 years old, Konstas scored a fiery 60 off 65 balls, playing a pivotal role in Australia’s formidable first-innings total of 474. Hayden noted that Konstas’s approach mirrored Symonds’s aggression, determination, and ability to rise to the occasion, qualities that endeared Symonds to fans and teammates alike.
“18 years ago today I batted at the MCG with my best mate wearing our baggy green caps for Australia. He made his first test 100! Watching @samkonstas5 yesterday, was exciting, just like I felt standing watching Simmo batting,” Hayden wrote in his post.
Konstas joined an elite group of Australian cricketers who debuted against India and scored fifty-plus runs. His brisk half-century, achieved in just 52 balls, made him the youngest Australian in over seven decades to accomplish such a feat, cementing his name in the history books alongside legends like Michael Clarke and Darren Lehmann.
