Virat Kohli and Australian youngster Sam Konstas were embroiled in a physical altercation as tempers flared on the first day of the fourth Test here. However, the 19-year-old home debutant played it down, saying the Indian superstar accidently bumped into him.
The brief confrontation occurred following the completion of the 10th over of the Australian innings, when players were crossing over. Kohli and Konstas bumped shoulders as they crossed across the pitch.
Both players promptly looked back to face each other and start venting out with an angry verbal spat with Usman Khawaja of the teammate Konstas interrupting the verbal fight as both the on-field umpires too called the two boys.
Talking to journalists post stumps, Konstas said Kohli hit into him and was not done deliberately.
"Virat Kohli accidentally bumped into me, that's cricket and can happen with tension," said the teenager.
"I think the emotions got to both of us," Konstas had told 'Channel 7' during the second session.
"I didn't quite realise, I was doing my gloves, then a little shoulder charge, but it happens in cricket," he added.
Konstas, who was playing on 27 at this point, went on to hit Jasprit Bumrah for two boundaries and a six in the following over.
The teenager played a breathtaking fifty on his debut before Ravindra Jadeja trapped him leg before wicket.
India assistant coach Abhishek Nayar, speaking in the end-of-day press conference, dismissed the entire incident as nothing big.
"When you play a game, there will be emotions but it is not as big as it seems. I wasn't aware of what happened and don't know what was said," he said in response to queries.
Oz media says Kohli could face disciplinary action
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.
Andy Pycroft, the match referee, is bound to assess the situation, according to a report in 'cricket.com.au'.
According to the ICC's Code of Conduct, "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".
A Level 1 offence would likely mean a fine of a match fee.
Level 2 offence attracts a penalty of three to four demerit points. Four demerit points attract one Test suspension.
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