The India-Australia rivalry reached new heights on the opening morning of the fourth Test at the Melbourne Cricket Ground (MCG) when a shoulder-to-shoulder clash between Virat Kohli and 19-year-old debutant Sam Konstas sparked a verbal confrontation. It happened when Australia had won the toss and had elected to bat, hosts Australia then went ahead with a healthy start in the innings after lunch, standing at 112/1 due partly to Konstas aggressive 60 off 65 balls.
What Happened Between Virat Kohli & Sam Konstas?
Tensions brewed as the match went forward when Kohli crossed the end of the 10th over in passing to Konstas. The two cricketers collided shoulder to shoulder, which immediately resulted in a brief altercation. Konstas, visibly surprised by the contact, exchanged words with Kohli. The India captain was clearly irked and turned back towards the young Australian but the situation was quickly diffused when Usman Khawaja intervened. The veteran Aussie batter stepped into the gap, calming thing by patting Konstas on the arm with a friendly arm around the shoulder of Kohli thus preventing things to get much worse.
Will Virat Kohli Face Consequences?
The incident is now under the watchful eye of match referee Andy Pycroft, who will assess whether Kohli’s actions, or Konstas’ response, constitute a breach of the ICC’s Code of Conduct. The Code of Conduct clearly prohibits “any form of inappropriate physical contact,” and players are expected to avoid making contact with opponents or officials, whether deliberate or accidental.
Severe Punishment For Virat Kohli
If the match referee decides that the collision is a Level Two offense, Kohli or Konstas may face severe punishment, including the accumulation of demerit points. Four demerit points would lead to suspension, which would mean that the player would miss the New Year’s Test in Sydney. A Level One offense, however, would probably lead to a lighter punishment, such as a fine or a deduction of the match fee, with no further consequences.
Kohli-Konstas Confrontation Similar To Kagiso Rabada’s Incident
It could be compared with a similar case from the 2018 South Africa-Australia Test series when South African pacer Kagiso Rabada was originally given three demerit points for making contact with Australian captain Steve Smith. Rabada appealed the decision, and his penalty was overturned, which sets precedent on how such incidents are handled.
As the match goes on, everyone will be focused on the situation that would be witnessed between Kohli and Konstas and whether or not the match referee is going to impose penalties or issue a warning.
Michael Vaughan Weighs In
Former England captain Michael Vaughan has commented on Fox Cricket that Kohli’s act might bring him into the book of the match referee. Vaughan was of the opinion that it was he who went off line and he is the one who first touched Konstas. “It’s Kohli that goes off line and he walks into Sam,” Vaughan said with a hint at the possibility of Kohli being on the wrong side of the law.
