Virat Kohli’s run-in with debutant Sam Konstas on a heated opening morning of the Boxing Day Test is certain to come under the International Cricket Council’s microscope as Test legend Ricky Ponting insisted Kohli was at fault.
Ponting said Kohli was the one who instigated contact with Konstas between overs in the first session of the fourth NRMA Insurance Test in scenes more likely to be seen in an Australian Rules football game.
The pair walked into each other before exchanging tense words. Konstas’ opening partner Usman Khawaja attempted to calm tensions, putting his arm around Kohli, before umpire Michael Gough then also played peacemaker.
Neither Konstas nor Kohli took a backward step during the incident.
“Virat walked one whole pitch over to his right and instigated that confrontation,” Ponting said on Channel Seven. “No doubt in my mind whatsoever.
“I have no doubt that the umpires and the referee will have a good look at that. Fielders should be nowhere near the batsman at that stage. Every fieldsman on the ground knows where the batsmen will congregate and get together.
“It looked to me that Konstas looked up really late, wouldn’t even know anyone is in front of him. That man on-screen there (Kohli) might have a few questions to answer.”
Match referee Andy Pycroft is certain to review the incident. Former India coach, Ravi Shastri, labelled Kohli’s actions as “unnecessary”.
“Absolutely unnecessary,” Shastri told SEN. “I would imagine the match referee will look at it closely.”
The ICC’s Code of Conduct states that “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”.
If Pycroft deems the Konstas-Kohli contact to be a Level Two offence against either player, that player would receive three or four demerit points.
Four points would be enough to trigger a suspension for the New Year’s Test in Sydney. A Level One offence would only result in a slap on the wrist, likely a match fee fine.
Kagiso Rabada initially received three demerit points for making contact with Steve Smith during the highly-charged 2018 South Africa-Australia Test series, though later had his penalty overturned on appeal.
Kohli’s bump on Konstas was undoubtedly heavier contact than the Rabada-Smith contact.
“Whatever happens on the field stays on the field,” was all Konstas said about the incident when speaking to Fox Cricket at a drinks break.
Konstas has previously suggested he looks up to Kohli, naming him after his maiden Sheffield Shield century in October as one of three people he would have dreamt of receiving a congratulations text from.
Australia women’s captain Alyssa Healy, who is also Test quick Mitchell Starc’s wife, called Kohli out for what she viewed as the star batter targeting the youngest member of the Australian team.
“I think it’s more disappointing than anything else that your experienced player, one of your best players in the country, has quite visibly made a beeline for the youngest player in the opposition,” Healy told Fox.
“It doesn’t really set the greatest of tone for your side but if that’s the way the Indian team want to approach it then so be it, but it didn’t rattle Kontas one bit.”
Ex-Test umpire Simon Taufel initially suggested the incident might go unpunished by the ICC. After seeing a wide shot replay, however, he believed Kohli would be in hot water.
“This long shot that’s been provided by the director is really interesting because it shows Virat Kohli actually changing his line to get into the personal space of Sam Konstas,” Taufel said on Seven.
“Now, there’s a clause within the ICC Code of Conduct that talks about inappropriate physical contact and that’s the clause that the umpires and the referee will be looking at, at close of play today to see whether or not Virat’s actions fall into that category.
“My suggestion would be that they’ll probably – looking at that seriously – more than likely do something about that now.”
NRMA Insurance Men’s Test Series v India
First Test: India won by 295 runs
Second Test: Australia won by 10 wickets
Third Test: Match drawn
Fourth Test: December 26-30: MCG, Melbourne, 10.30am AEDT
Fifth Test: January 3-7: SCG, Sydney, 10.30am AEDT
Australia squad: Pat Cummins (c), Sean Abbott, Scott Boland, Alex Carey, Travis Head (vc), Josh Inglis, Usman Khawaja, Sam Konstas, Marnus Labuschagne, Nathan Lyon, Mitchell Marsh, Jhye Richardson, Steve Smith (vc), Mitchell Starc, Beau Webster
India squad: Rohit Sharma (c), Jasprit Bumrah (vc), Yashasvi Jaiswal, KL Rahul, Abhimanyu Easwaran, Devdutt Padikkal, Shubman Gill, Virat Kohli, Rishabh Pant, Sarfaraz Khan, Dhruv Jurel, Ravichandran Ashwin, Ravindra Jadeja, Mohammed Siraj, Akash Deep, Prasidh Krishna, Harshit Rana, Nitish Kumar Reddy, Washington Sundar. Reserves: Mukesh Kumar, Navdeep Saini, Khaleel Ahmed, Yash Dayal
