India star batter Virat Kohli and Australia debutant Sam Konstas had a mid-pitch altercation in the first session of the fourth test of the Border Gavaskar Trophy.
The incident occured after the 10th over of the morning when Kohli and Konstas bumped shoulders while moving across the pitch once the over ended.
Both players looked back for a death stare and exchanged words before Konstas’ partner Usman Khawaja came in between, although the verbal dual didn’t last long.
Replays emerged later showed that Konstas had turned around from the crease and was walking straight towards the other end whereas Kohli while tossing the ball in his hand went from way outside the pitch straight towards Konstas and bumped into him.
Virat Kohli and Sam Konstas exchanged a heated moment on the MCG. #AUSvIND pic.twitter.com/QL13nZ9IGI
— cricket.com.au (@cricketcomau) December 26, 2024
“I think the emotions got to both of us,” told Konstas. “I didn’t quite realise, I was doing my gloves, then a little shoulder charge, but it happens in cricket.”
“Have a look at where Virat walks,” said former captain Ricky Ponting observed while commentating. “Virat’s walked one whole pitch over to his right and instigated that confrontation. No doubt in my mind, whatsoever.”
Meanwhile former umpire Simon Taufel also spoke to tv channel about the incident and said that could be considered as ‘inappropriate physical start’ under the ICC’s Code of Conduct.
“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.”
“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 and my suggestion would be that they’ll probably – looking at that seriously – more than likely do something about that now.”
Konstas made his debut in the ongoing fourth match where he smashed 52-ball fifty, before being dismissed by Jadeja.
Konstas was on 5 off 21 before started his aggressive shots off Bumrah and finished on 60 off 65 with six fours and two sixes, when he was dismissed on LBW from around the wicket by Ravindra Jadeja.
