ICC to review Virat Kohli's heated exchange with Sam Konstas at Boxing Day Test: Report

Dec 26, 2024

Melbourne [Australia], December 26 : The International Cricket Council (ICC) officials will review Virat Kohli's heated exchange with Aussie debutant Sam Konstas at the Boxing Day Test of the Border-Gavaskar Trophy at the Melbourne Cricket Ground, according to cricket.com.au.
According to the report, Kohli's run-in with Konstas at the Melbourne Test caught ICC's notice.
Both Kohli and Konstas walked into each other before exchanging words. Australia opener Usman Khawaja tried to calm the situation, putting his arm around the India talisman batter. Umpire Michael Gough also came into action and played the role of peacemaker.
As per cricket.com.au, match referee Andy Pycroft is certain to look at the incident.
ICC's Code of Conduct says that "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".
Either Kohli or Konstas would receive three or four demerit points if match referee Pycroft adjudged the incident as a Level Two offence.
Konstas played a 60-run knock from 65 balls in his debut match against India. He smashed 6 fours and 2 sixes during his time on the crease.
The 19-year-old played fearless cricket on Thursday, however, his knock came to an end in the 20th over when India spinner Ravindra Jadeja dismissed him.
Currently, with the ongoing BGT series level at 1-1, both sides will be playing the much-anticipated Boxing Day Test intending to secure an all-important series lead needed to push a case for the ICC World Test Championship final.
Australia Playing XI: Usman Khawaja, Sam Konstas, Marnus Labuschagne, Steven Smith, Travis Head, Mitchell Marsh, Alex Carey (WK), Pat Cummins (C), Mitchell Starc, Nathan Lyon, Scott Boland.
India Playing XI: Yashasvi Jaiswal, Rohit Sharma (C), KL Rahul, Virat Kohli, Rishabh Pant (WK), Ravindra Jadeja, Nitish Kumar Reddy, Washington Sundar, Jasprit Bumrah, Mohammed Siraj, Akash Deep.