An unexpected disruption occurred on Day 2 of the Boxing Day Test at the Melbourne Cricket Ground (MCG) when a pitch invader sprinted onto the field and tried to hug Indian batting star Virat Kohli. The intruder initially headed towards captain Rohit Sharma, who was stationed in the slip cordon, before diverting his attention to Kohli.
In a dramatic moment, the invader attempted to embrace the 36-year-old former Indian captain; Kohli, too, wrapped his arm around the invader before the security personnel acted swiftly, intercepting the intruder and escorting him off the field.
The brief interruption caused a temporary halt in play, but the game quickly resumed without further incident.
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This incident unfolded amidst a charged atmosphere at the ground, where Kohli had been at the center of attention following his altercation with Australia’s 19-year-old debutant, Sam Konstas, on Day 1.
The collision between Kohli and Konstas had already sparked controversy, with Kohli defiantly responding to boos from the crowd. He was fined 20 percent of his match fees for the shoulder bump following the end of the play on Day 1; however, the Australian media and former Aussie cricketers including Ricky Ponting stated they expected a harsher punishment.
India’s endured a tough outing in the morning session of Day 2, following an inconsistent bowling effort and lackluster fielding, allowing Australia to build a strong partnership for the seventh wicket.
Steve Smith and Pat Cummins capitalized on the lapses in India’s discipline, with the duo putting together a solid stand, forging a 112-run partnership before Cummins was dismissed just one run shy of a half-century. Earlier on Day 1, Konstas stole the show with a heroic knock on debut, smashing 60 off just 65 deliveries. Usman Khawaja (57) and Marnus Labuschagne (72) also smashed half-centuries, while Steve Smith smashed his second century of the series, scoring 140.
With India expected to bat soon, there will certainly be a reaction from the Australian crowd when Virat Kohli comes to bat at the MCG.
