Virat Kohli narrowly avoided a ban following his controversial shoulder-bump incident with Australian debutant Sam Konstas on Day 1 of the fourth Test at the Melbourne Cricket Ground (MCG). According to a report by Cricbuzz, the Indian batter has been handed one demerit point and fined 20% of his match fee for the altercation. An official statement from the International Cricket Council (ICC) is still awaited.
The incident unfolded between the 10th and 11th overs when Kohli, in an apparent moment of frustration, bumped his shoulder into Konstas as the latter adjusted his gloves. The collision sparked a brief exchange of words before Usman Khawaja stepped in to diffuse the tension.
Under ICC’s Code of Conduct, Article 2.12 prohibits any form of inappropriate physical contact, stating: “Players will breach this regulation if they deliberately, recklessly and/or negligently walk or run into or shoulder another player or umpire.”
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The incident didn’t sit well with commentators and former cricketers. Ravi Shastri, former Indian head coach, deemed Kohli’s behaviour “unnecessary” during the live broadcast.
Virat Kohli and Sam Konstas exchanged a heated moment on the MCG. #AUSvIND pic.twitter.com/QL13nZ9IGI
— cricket.com.au (@cricketcomau) December 26, 2024
“There’s a line, and you don’t want to overstep that line,” Ravi Shastri remarked. Sharing the commentary box, former Australian skipper Ricky Ponting criticized Kohli’s actions, accusing him of instigating the confrontation. “Virat walked across the pitch to his right to initiate that interaction. No doubt in my mind he provoked it,” Ricky Ponting said.
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Ponting also highlighted the potential consequences of such behavior, emphasizing that fielders should avoid interfering with batters in any way. “Every player knows the protocol. Konstas seemed unaware of Kohli’s presence, looking up only at the last second,” Ricky Ponting added, suggesting that Kohli may still face further scrutiny from match officials.
The clash added another layer of drama to the intense rivalry between the two cricketing giants, underscoring the fine balance between passion and professionalism in high-stakes matches.
