Cricket fans have lashed out in outrage after Indian star Virat Kohli copped a fine instead of a suspension after admitting to smashing his shoulder into Australian teen sensation Sam Konstas during a dramatic opening to the Boxing Day Test.
The International Cricket Council (ICC) confirmed on Thursday night that it had docked Kohli one demerit point, meaning he avoids a suspension that would have knocked him out of the Sydney Test, as well as docking him 20 per cent of his match fee.
Umpires Joel Wilson and Michael Gough, third umpire Sharfuddoula Ibne Shahid and fourth umpire Shawn Craig all reported Kohli.
He admitted to the offence and accepted the penalty from Andy Pycroft, who is officiating in his 100th Test as match referee.
The ICC said Kohli ‘walked up to batter Sam Konstas and negligently bumped his shoulder with the batter inappropriately’.
The flashpoint comes days after the Indian superstar took exception to local media when he arrived in Melbourne.
Pictured: The moment Virat Kohli slammed his shoulder into teenage Aussie debutant Sam Konstas on the first day of the Boxing Day Test
Kohli is free to play in the Sydney Test after the International Cricket Council chose not to hit him with a suspension for the ugly act
Konstas’s teammate Usman Khawaja (middle) had to get between him and Kohli to settle the situation down after the 19-year-old hit back at the former Indian skipper with a verbal tirade
Former Australian captain Ricky Ponting had no doubt Kohli had initiated the contact, with the Indian veteran and the Australian teenager bumping shoulders after the 10th over.
‘Look at the way Virat walks. Virat walked one whole pitch over to his right and instigated that confrontation – no doubt in my mind whatsoever,’ Ponting said on the Seven Network.
Aussie and Indian fans alike condemned Kohli’s actions and were left furious by the fact the ICC didn’t deem the incident worthy of a ban.
Former Aussie cricket star Darren Berry wrote on X: ‘20% & 1 demerit point. Change direction to deliberately make contact with a kid on debut. What a spineless, pathetic, manipulated outcome confirming what we all already know. After 12 hours cricket I’m taking my bat & ball & going home.’
‘Absolute joke but absolutely predictable,’ a fan wrote on the social media platform.
Others claimed that the light punishment was a result of the ICC being afraid to get offside with the powerful Board for Control of Cricket in India (BCCI).
‘Soft decision. Typical. Oh let’s not offend the Indians,’ added another commenter.
‘What a disgrace. Totally gutless from the ICC. Imagine my surprise,’ wrote a fourth.
‘Nobody expected a suspension. Apart from the incident not being that big a deal, he’s Indian. The India Cricket Council doesn’t suspend Indian players – or officials – or corrupt franchise owners.’
Former Aussie cricket star Darren Berry led the chorus of condemnation when the news broke that Kohli had dodged a ban
Several commenters claimed the ICC failed to suspend the star because it’s afraid to get on the wrong side of the powerful Board for Control of Cricket in India
Indian fans slammed their former skipper when the clash was reported in their local media.
‘Such a shameful act. Kohli totally lost his respect,’ one reader wrote on a Times of India that featured a long list of comments slamming the 36-year-old.
‘Kohli once again shows his frustration on the field as he cannot perform. He is degrading the cricket and our nation for unwarranted antics,’ added another.
‘Big joker this Kohli. Show your aggression with bat, not bully kids. Useless fellow,’ wrote a third.
Konstas was clearly riling the tourists in the midst of his astonishing Test debut – moments before he and Kohli bumped shoulders, paceman Mohammed Siraj had given the teenager a mouthful.
After he was dismissed for 60, Konstas said the incident had caught him by surprise.
‘I think the emotions got to both of us. I didn’t quite realise, I was doing my gloves and then a little shoulder charge. It happens, it’s cricket,’ he told the Seven Network.
Immediately after the contact, Konstas turned in surprise and Kohli reacted, as if to suggest it was the Australian’s fault.
Fellow opener Usman Khawaja, an amused spectator to Konstas’s batting fireworks, stepped in and put an arm around Kohli as he played peacemaker.
Konstas responded to being shoulder-charged by smashing 18 runs off his next over
Gough also had words at the time with Kohli and Konstas.
Indian great Ravi Shastri, who used to be Kohli’s Indian coach, was unimpressed.
‘That’s totally unnecessary, we don’t want to see that,’ Shastri told Fox Sports.
‘Virat’s a senior player, he’s been captain … he’ll have his own explanations with regards to that, but it’s one thing you don’t want to see.
The Australian debutant reacted to the incident in the best-possible way, belting the first ball of Jasprit Bumrah’s next over for four on the way to making 60.
‘(Konstas) has definitely gotten up their nose a little bit,’ Ponting said.
‘Yes, he’s flustered them. Yes, he’s got up their nose. Yes, there is some frustration out there.’
Kohli had a bad start to his visit to Melbourne for the Boxing Day Test, taking local TV reporters to task when they filmed members of his family at the airport.
