Virat Kohli Receives Penalty for Physical Contact with Konstas

Virat Kohli has paid a 20% fine on his match fee and received a demerit point for breaching International Cricket Council (ICC) guidelines on inappropriate physical contact. The incident took place during day one of the fourth Test in Melbourne where Kohli, 36, shoulder-barged Australia opener Sam Konstas at the end of the 10th over. Kohli appeared to change direction to make contact with Konstas as the 19-year-old walked down the pitch to confer with his batting partner, Usman Khawaja.

The altercation briefly escalated, with the pair exchanging words before Khawaja and the umpires stepped in to defuse the situation. Match referee Andy Pycroft ruled that Kohli’s actions violated ICC rules leading to the penalty. Kohli accepted the fine and demerit point without contest, eliminating the need for a formal disciplinary hearing. Despite the sanction, Kohli remains eligible to play in the fifth and final Test in Sydney next month.

Konstas making his Test debut, responded with resilience and focus after the incident. He scored an impressive 60 runs off 65 balls contributing significantly to Australia’s strong performance. The hosts ended the day at 311-6, putting themselves in a commanding position. This incident marks a rare disciplinary setback for Virat Kohli, who is known for his competitive spirit but has generally avoided serious infractions in recent years. The clash highlighted tensions in the high-stakes series with both teams vying for dominance.

Australia capitalized on the momentum Konstas and Khawaja provided as they added valuable runs in their partnership. As the series progresses, the spotlight will remain on Kohli’s conduct and how both teams manage pressure in the remaining matches. While the incident created a moment of drama, Konstas’ mature response and Australia’s solid batting overshadowed the controversy, setting the stage for an engaging continuation of the series.