Virat Kohli was fined 20 percent of his match fee for his altercation with Sam Konstas in India’s fourth Test against Australia at the Melbourne Cricket Ground (MCG). On Thursday, December 26, Kohli was seen shouldering the Australian debutant in the first session of the opening day’s play.
The International Cricket Council, in a statement on Thursday, said Virat Kohli breached Level 1 of their Code of Conduct. It also said no formal hearing was needed as Virat Kohli accepted the sanctions proposed by match referee Andy Pycroft.
“Article 2.12 of the ICC Code of Conduct relates to: “inappropriate physical contact with a Player, Player Support Personnel, Umpire, Match Referee or any other person (including a spectator during an International Match. On-field umpires Joel Wilson and Michael Gough, third umpire Sharfuddoula Ibne Shahid and fourth umpire Shawn Craig levelled the charge,” the ICC statement read.
It was widely speculated that Virat Kohli would be handed a one-match ban after it appeared he made deliberate contact with the 19-year-old. A deliberate physical contact is often classified as a Level 2 offence, which can lead to three or four demerit points. If a player receives four demerit points in a 24-month cycle, then he can be banned for a Test match or two limited-overs matches.
However, Kohli was handed just one demerit point for the on-field bust-up on Boxing Day.
During the break between the 10th and 11th overs of the Australian innings, as Konstas and Usman Khawaja were switching ends, Kohli walked toward the young batter and collided with him. Former Australian captain Ricky Ponting, who was commentating at the time, suggested that Kohli had made deliberate contact. However, replays showed that while Kohli appeared aware of his path, it was Konstas, distracted by adjusting his gloves with his head down, who unintentionally walked into the Indian batter.
WHEN KOHLI SHOULDERED KONSTAS
Konstas spoke about the incident during the drinks break in the morning session and said that he would like to keep the incident inside the field, but did not mind competing hard against the Indian team.”Whatever happens on the field stays on the field. I just love competing and it doesn’t get any better for a debut than this packed stadium,” Konstas said.
WHAT ICC RULES SAY? (Explained)
According to the Marylebone Cricket Club (MCC), the custodians of the laws of the game, “making inappropriate and deliberate physical contact with another player” constitutes a Level 2 offence. This falls under chapter 42.1 of the MCC laws – Unacceptable Conduct.
Level 2 offences carry a penalty of three to four demerit points, with corresponding punishments as follows:
50% to 100% match fee fine or 1 suspension point for three demerit points
Two suspension points for four demerit points
If a player accumulates four demerit points over a 24-month period, he can be banned for a Test.
PUNDITS SLAM VIRAT KOHLI
Legendary Sunil Gavaskar did not mince words when he said the on-field bust-up could have been completely avoided by Virat Kohli.
“It’s the heat of Test match cricket. But, this can be avoidable. I mean, you are walking in a busy street, you see somebody coming towards you, you sway away. There’s nothing. It doesn’t make you smaller if you sway away. You don’t want to see things on the field of play. Definitely not,” Gavaskar told the broadcasters.
Former England captain Michael Vaughan stated that the fault lay entirely with Kohli, suggesting that the 19-year-old’s fearless batting had unsettled the ‘King’ of world cricket.
“He’s completely acted wrong,” Vaughan told Fox Cricket.
“I don’t know why a senior pro who’s played for so long – he’s a King – why’s he’s been rattled by a 19-year-old. Sam Konstas did absolutely nothing wrong there. Virat veered towards him. You can’t do that, you’re just not allowed to do that.”
Meanwhile, Australian batting star Alyssa Healy condemned Kohli’s behaviour, saying it was unbecoming of a player of his calibre and experience.
“It is probably more disappointing than anything else that an experienced player, one of your best players in the country, is quite visibly looking at the wider picture and made a beeline for the youngest player on the opposition,” Healy said.
Sam Konstas headlined Australia’s dominant show with the bat on Day 1. The teenager hit a quickfire 60 that set the platform for Australia’s total of 311 for 6 at Stumps on Boxing Day, which saw a record crowd at the iconic venue.