ICC Reprimands Virat Kohli, Star India Batter Heavily Fined For His Scuffle With Sam Konstas During Boxing Day test

IND vs AUS 4th Test: The Boxing Day Test match between India and Australia has gotten off to a fiery start. The Border-Gavaskar Trophy always produces drama of the highest order, but who would've thought that the former India skipper would get into a heated skipper with the Australian youngster Sam Konstas on the opening day of the Boxing Day Test match. The ongoing IND vs AUS series is evenly poised at both the teams winning one match each. The fourth Test match will go a long way in deciding the fate of the series.

Virat Kohli is having a pretty tough time in Australia right now. The former skipper's bat has stopped doing the talking and he also finds himself being associated with controversies. Kohli indulged in a heated argument with an Australian journalist prior to the Melbourne Test match. The Australian media looked at the scuffle as an opportunity and pounced at Virat, This might be Kohli's last tour to Australia as a player in the Indian cricket team and it is high time for him to score runs and help his team win matches.

ICC Levies Fine On Kohli

The International Cricket Council (ICC) fined Virat Kohli twenty percent of his match fees four shoulder charging Australian youngster Sam Konstas during the opening day of the Melbourne Test match. Kohli has also been handed one demerit point. 'Cricket is not a contact sport and there are rules for body nudging in the game. Relevant here is another set of rules in ICC's Code of Conduct (CoC)', reads article 2.12.

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The brief showdown took place after the completion of the 10th over of the Australian innings on the opening day of the fourth Test when the players were crossing over. Kohli and Konstas bumped shoulders while moving across the pitch. Both players quickly turned around to glance at each other and engage in a heated exchange of words with Konstas' teammate Usman Khawaja stepping in to separate them. The on-field umpires also had a word with the two. Speaking to reporters after stumps, Konstas said Kohli bumped into him and it wasn't deliberate.

According to Konstas, the emotions got better of both the players and he also admitted looking at his gloves when the incident took place.

ALSO READ | Virat Kohli's HEATED Exchange With Sam Konstas at MCG During Boxing Day Test | WATCH

Narrow Escape For Kohli

Level 2 offences carry a penalty of three to four demerit points. Four demerit points would lead to a suspension of one Test. Konstas, who was batting on 27 at the time, went on to hit Jasprit Bumrah for two boundaries and a six in the next over. The teenager scored a stunning fifty on debut before Ravindra Jadeja trapped him leg before wicket. India assistant coach Abhishek Nayar, who addressed the media in the end-of-day press conference, also brushed aside the incident as nothing big.