Virat Kohli and Sam Konstas were involved in a heated exchange on Day 1 of the Boxing Day Test between India and Australia at the Melbourne Cricket Ground (MCG) on December 26, 2024.
The incident occurred after the 10th over when the 19-year-old debutant, Konstas, was walking down the pitch after facing the final delivery. Kohli, holding the ball, deliberately bumped into him, leading to a brief confrontation. Australia’s opener Usman Khawaja and umpire Michael Gough quickly intervened to break up the altercation.
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Konstas later downplayed the incident, stating, “I didn’t quite realise, I was doing my gloves, then a little shoulder charge, but it happens in cricket.” However, former Australia captain Ricky Ponting, who was commentating, was clear that Kohli initiated the contact. “Virat walked one whole pitch over to his right and instigated that confrontation,” Ponting remarked.
Ex-umpire Simon Taufel also commented, suggesting Kohli’s actions could be seen as “inappropriate physical contact” according to the ICC Code of Conduct.
Despite the altercation, Konstas continued his strong debut, scoring 60 runs off 65 balls, including six boundaries and two sixes. His quick-fire innings helped Australia recover after a tough start, reaching 1-112 at lunch on Day 1.
The incident wasn’t Kohli’s first altercation in the India-Australia series; he had previous clashes with Australian captain Tim Paine in 2018 and Mitchell Johnson in 2014. Kohli’s actions in this case may be scrutinized, and the match referee may take further action.
Additionally, Kohli was recently involved in a confrontation with media personnel at Melbourne Airport after the third Test. Kohli, who prefers to keep his personal life private, was upset when photographers captured his family, prompting a heated response.
Indian captain Rohit Sharma expressed confidence that Kohli, a modern-day great, would overcome his struggles with deliveries outside the off-stump, as seen in the current series. Kohli had recently ended a lean patch with an unbeaten century in Perth but has struggled with deliveries moving away from his stumps in the ongoing matches.
