Kohli, Konstas face off at MCG; Indian star fined, handed demerit point

Melbourne, PTI: Virat Kohli and Australian youngster Sam Konstas were on Thursday involved in a physical altercation because of which the Indian superstar was fined 20 per cent of his match fee and handed a demerit point even though it was played down as an accidental bump by the 19-year-old debutant. The brief showdown took place after the 10th over of the Australian innings on the opening day of the fourth Test here when the players were crossing over.

Kohli and Konstas bumped shoulders while moving across the pitch in the face off that was initiated by the travelling star. Kohli was eventually charged with breaching Level 1 of the ICC Code of Conduct by on-field umpires Joel Wilson and Michael Gough, third umpire Sharfuddoula Ibne Shahid and fourth umpire Shawn Craig. He accepted the sanctions proposed by match referee Andy Pycroft at the end of day's play.

"Virat Kohli has been fined 20 percent of his match fee and awarded one demerit point for breaching Level 1 of the ICC Code of Conduct," the ICC said in a statement. After the physical contact, both players quickly turned around to glance at each other and engage in a heated exchange of words before Konstas' teammate Usman Khawaja stepped in to separate them. The on-field umpires also had a word with the two and things cooled down rather quickly. Speaking to reporters after stumps, Konstas said Kohli bumped into him but it wasn't deliberate.

Kohli criticised for his actions Konstas might have dismissed it as routine but former Australian skipper Ricky Ponting blamed Kohli for instigating the exchange. He went to the extent of saying that Kohli could face disciplinary action for it. "Have a look where Virat walks. Virat's walked one whole pitch over to his right and instigated that confrontation. No doubt in my mind whatsoever," Ponting said on Channel 7 while watching the replay of the incident. "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.

"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," Ponting added. Former India head coach Ravi Shastri, who was at the helm during Kohli's captaincy, said the run-in was unnecessary. "There is a line and you don't want to overstep that line. That's unnecessary, totally unnecessary. You don't want to see that.

You know Virat is a senior player, he has been captain of the side," he said on 'Fox Sports'. "He will have his own explanations for this but it's something you don't want to see. One person who would be watching, his eyes locked into the proceedings is Andy Pycroft," he added.