Ravi Shastri Calls Out Virat Kohli for 'Unnecessary' Act; ICC Warned as India Star Avoids Suspension

On an eventful Day 1 at the Melbourne Cricket Ground in the fourth Test match of the Border-Gavaskar Trophy series, Australia took control of the game with a dominant display with the bat. However, a dramatic incident involving India's star player Virat Kohli and debutant Sam Konstas stole the spotlight in the first session. The heated mid-pitch altercation between the experienced Kohli and the young Konstas did not go down well with former India head coach Ravi Shastri, who criticized Kohli for his "unnecessary" actions on the field.

The incident happened in the 10th over of the opening session when Kohli bumped his shoulders with Konstas while moving across. Both players were immediately involved in a heated altercation, before Konstas' opening partner Usman Khawaja and umpire Michael Gough intervened.

Replays later showed that while Konstas, after facing the final ball of the 10th over, turned back and walked straight towards the other end of the crease, Kohli went from way outside the crease and walked straight towards the Aussie opener and bumped into him.

Speaking to Fox Cricket, Shastri, bemused by the incident, pulled up Kohli for his "unnecessary" act.

“It’s unnecessary, totally unnecessary … you don’t want to see that,” he said during tea break. “He’ll have his own explanations in regards to that, but it’s something that you don’t want to see.”

ICC warned as India star escapes 'suspension'

Kohli was fined 20 percent of match fees and awarded one demerit point for breaching Level 1 of the ICC Code of Conduct, which relates to "inappropriate physical contact with a Player, Player Support Personnel, Umpire, Match Referee or any other person (including a spectator during an International Match). " No formal hearing was required as Kohli accepted the sanctions.

Earlier in the day, Australia journalist Peter Lalor warned ICC of being questioned over how games are officiated if Kohli escaped suspension.

“Really poor from Virat Kohli. He should be in trouble for that and if he isn't, I think we've got a lot of questions to ask how the game is officiated. You cannot have a player deviate from their line like that and charge. Every single person I talk to thinks they'll find a way to not suspend Virat Kohli. But he will be suspended because what he did was dead wrong,” he told during commentary on SEN Cricket.

Lalor then sent a reminder of the Kagiso Rabada incident in the 2018 series between South Africa and Australia where the fast bowler made physical contact with outgoing batsman Steven Smith, in a similar way as Kohli did with Konstas. Rabada had received three demerit points, and later suspended as his demerit points totalled to eight in the previous 24 months, implying two-match suspension. Yet, the Aussie believed that although Kohli deserved four demrit points, he is bound to escape with ICC certain to find an “excuse.”

He said: “There should be no physical contact at all in the game of cricket. And if Kagiso Rabada can get three points for doing that, a level two offence, this should be four points, implying a suspension. But believe me, it won't happen. The game finds every way to make an excuse. But you need to draw a line.”

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