MELBOURNE, Australia (AP) and Staff Writer — According to India Today, Virat Kohli has been fined 20 percent of his match fee and 1 demerit point has been added to his disciplinary record after bumping shoulders with Australia’s Sam Konstas in a fiery opening Thursday to the fourth test of the five-match series.
After choosing to bat at the Melbourne Cricket Ground, Australia reached 311-6 at stumps Thursday.
Teenager Konstas (60), Usman Khawaja (57), Marnus Labuschagne (72) and Steve Smith (68 not out) all made half-centuries in front of a crowd of 87,242.
Jasprit Bumrah claimed 3-75, continuing his dominance of Australia’s batters in this series.
The on-field action heated up at the end of the 10th over. Kohli collided shoulder to shoulder as he walked past 19-year-old Konstas, whose risky stroke-play was causing enormous frustration for the fielding side.
Debutant Konstas and 36-year-old Kohli exchanged words after the collision. A visibly angry Kohli started walking back towards Konstas before umpire Michael Gough and Khawaja hurried over to settle things down between the pair.
Former India skipper Ravi Shastri told local radio that Kohli’s actions were “absolutely unnecessary.”
Earlier, Konstas looked nervous as he played and missed four times in the opening over of the match, bowled by Bumrah. The youngster fought back by playing three audacious reverse scoops over slips in Bumrah’s fourth over, hitting two fours and a six.
Konstas dominated an opening stand of 89 before he was lbw to spinner Ravindra Jadeja, ending a pulsating 65-ball debut. Australia reached 112-1 at lunch.
Konstas spoke about his argument with Virat. “Whatever happens on the field stays on the field. My job is to compete and it becomes even more better of there is a packed stadium,” Sam Konstas said.
According to the rules and regulations, making inappropriate and deliberate physical contact with another player is a Level 2 offence.