The fiery 'shoulder-bump' episode between Virat Kohli and Sam Konstas headlined Day 1 of the India versus Australia's fourth Test at the MCG on December 26. The physical altercation between Virat Kohli and Sam Konstas in the Boxing Day Test drew criticism from batting legend Sunil Gavaskar.
Sunil Gavaskar not happy with Virat Kohli-Sam Konsta's shoulder-bump episode
The incident involved a shoulder-bumping confrontation between the two players during the opening session of play which sparked debate among fans, critics, and former cricketers alike.
The incident unfolded as Konstas was walking towards his opening partner, Usman Khawaja. As Kohli, with the ball in hand, was walking across the pitch, he collided with the 19-year-old opener, leading to a heated exchange between the two. The umpires and Khawaja intervened to douse the situation.
The incident involving Kohli and Konstas did not sit well with Gavaskar, who deemed it 'avoidable'. Gavaskar expressed his belief that disciplinary action would be taken at the end of the day's play.
"Really, this can be avoidable. I mean, it's like you are walking in a busy pedestrian street, and you see somebody coming at you, you just sway away. There's nothing; it doesn't make you smaller if you move away. That's the thing. And you don't want to see these things on the field. Definitely not," Gavaskar said during the lunch break amidst the MCG Test.
"My first instinct, looking at it without seeing the replays, was that both were looking down, so they didn't see each other coming. Konstas was looking at his bat; Kohli had the ball in his hand, and he was doing something. But with that footage, we'll see who gets fined more this evening," he added.
Virat Kohli bears ICC's brung with 20% fine
Meanwhile, the International Cricket Council (ICC) has fined Virat Kohli 20 per cent of his match fee and awarded handed him one demerit point for his altercation with Australian debutant during the fourth Test match.
Kohli has apparently escaped the ban as he accepted the sanctions proposed by Match Referee Andy Pycroft. The incident involved a shoulder bump between the two players. On-field umpires Joel Wilson and Michael Gough, third umpire Sharfuddoula Ibne Shahid, and fourth umpire Shawn Craig leveled the charge
“Virat Kohli has been fined 20 percent of his match fee and awarded one demerit point for breaching Level 1 of the ICC Code of Conduct, ” ICC's statement read.
As per the ICC's Code of Conduct, Article 2.12, “Any form of inappropriate physical contact is prohibited in cricket. Without limitation, players will breach this regulation if they deliberately, recklessly and/or negligently walk or run into or shoulder another player or umpire.”
Talking about the match, Konstas (60), Usman Khawaja (57), Marnus Labuschagne (72) and Steve Smith (68 not out) brilliant knocks propelled Australia to 311/6 on Day 1. Meanwhile, Jasprit Bumrah was the pick of the bowler for India as he chipped in with three wickets with Ravindra Jadeja, Nitish Kumar Reddy and Washington Sundar contributing with a wicket apiece.