Indian cricket star Virat Kohli has come under criticism for shoulder-bumping Australian debutant Sam Konstas during the opening session of the Test match at the Melbourne Cricket Ground (MCG) on Thursday.
The former Indian captain was fined 20% of his match fee and given one demerit point for the incident, which occurred at the end of the 10th over on the first day.
During the match, Kohli made physical contact with Konstas in front of 90,000 spectators. A video of the altercation quickly went viral on social media, drawing widespread condemnation of Kohli’s actions.
The incident led to a verbal exchange between the players before Australian opener Usman Khawaja stepped in to de-escalate the situation.
The International Cricket Council (ICC) reviewed the altercation under Article 2.12 of its Code of Conduct, which prohibits inappropriate physical contact during play.
The regulation specifies that a breach occurs if a player “deliberately, recklessly, or negligently” engages in physical contact. The ICC assesses factors such as intent, force, avoidability, and any resulting injury to determine the severity of such incidents.
Simon Taufel, a former ICC Elite Panel umpire, analyzed the incident and called for scrutiny under the Code of Conduct.
“This footage shows Kohli altering his line to invade Sam Konstas’ personal space,” Taufel said. “The clause on inappropriate physical contact will likely prompt the umpires and referee to take this matter seriously.”
Former Australian captain Ricky Ponting also condemned Kohli’s actions, describing them as intentional.
“Kohli walked across the pitch deliberately to provoke the confrontation. Fielders have no reason to be near the batsman in that situation,” Ponting remarked. “The umpires and referee will undoubtedly examine this closely.”
Even Ravi Shastri, former Indian coach, criticized Kohli’s conduct, labelling it unnecessary.
The controversy has sparked a broader discussion about player conduct and the importance of maintaining sportsmanship in cricket.
