Sam Konstas: Name of late cricket star Phillip Hughes used in vile online attacks against Australian teenager

India’s fury at cheeky Australian teenager Sam Konstas has been levelled in a series of vile and abusive social media posts, including death threats, in the final days of the Test series between the two nations. And angry Indian fans have even used the name of late cricket star Phillip Hughes in their threats against Konstas. The furore towards the 19-year-old ramped up after an incident on Friday evening where, just moments after a war of words, his batting partner Usman Khawaja was dismissed by the first last ball of the day’s play. Indian players, including fast-bowling weapon Jasprit Bumrah and notorious antagonist Virat Kohli then swarmed around the second-gamer in an act that Australian coach Andrew McDonald claims was intimidator. It has sparked debate over whether Konstas, who has stunned the cricket world with his batting, has taken it too far with the on-field chat. But that doesn’t change the fact the abuse and threats he has received have well and truly crossed the line. Some of those posts were even on Konstas’ personal Instagram account. His latest post, celebrating his debut in Melbourne, has more than 23,000 comments. “Would love to see Bumrah send you to say hi to Phil Hughes from the Indian team,” one user posted. “This guy seriously needs a philip hughes (sic) treatment,” another said. Hughes died days after he was struck by a ball while batting for South Australia at the Sydney Cricket Ground 10 years ago. Social media platform X was also flooded with the disgusting comments. The clash with Kohli and Bumrah on Friday evening was still being played out after the match finished on Sunday afternoon. Indian coach Gautham Gambhir had a dig back at McDonald’s claims. “It’s a tough sport played by tough men. You can’t be that soft,” he said in a scathing response to his opposition coach,” he said. “As simple as it can get. I don’t think there was anything intimidating about it.” Gambhir added he thought Konstas “had no right” to talk to Bumrah when Khawaja was wasting time at the crease. “He had no right and no business to be involved,” Gambhir said.