Virat Kohli fined 20% of match fee and penalized with one demerit point for shoulder bumping Sam Konstas at the MCG on Thursday morning.
Cricket, as a non-contact sport, enforces strict rules regarding physical interactions. The ICC’s Code of Conduct (CoC) explicitly prohibits inappropriate physical contact under Article 2.12, which states:
“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.
“When assessing the seriousness of the breach, the following factors (without limitation) shall be taken into account: (i) the context of the particular situation, including, without limitation, whether the contact was deliberate (i.e. intentional), reckless, negligent, and/or avoidable; (ii) the force of the contact; (iii) any resulting injury to the person with whom contact was made; and (iv) the person with whom contact was made.”
The incident unfolded at the end of the 10th over on Day One when Kohli was seen shoulder-nudging Australian debutant Sam Konstas in front of a 90,000-strong crowd. The altercation sparked an exchange between the players, with opener Usman Khawaja stepping in to defuse tensions.
Kohli’s actions drew sharp criticism, including from former Australian captain Ricky Ponting, who called for disciplinary action. Speaking on Channel Seven, Ponting said:
“Virat walked one whole pitch over to his right and instigated that confrontation. No doubt in my mind whatsoever. The umpires and the referee will surely review this incident. Fielders should be nowhere near the batsmen at that stage. It seemed Konstas looked up too late and wasn’t even aware someone was in front of him. Kohli may have some questions to answer.”
Even former India coach Ravi Shastri disapproved of Kohli’s behavior, describing it as unnecessary. “There is a line, and you don’t want to overstep that line,” Shastri remarked.
