Chandigarh, 26 December 2024:Debutant Sam Konstas rocked India in the Boxing Day Test in Melbourne with his imaginative batting. His audacious way of charging down the track and then reverse-ramping the world’s best bowler, Jasprit Bumrah, got India unsettled on Day 1 of the fourth Test match after Pat Cummins opted to bat. So much so that Virat Kohli lost his cool and bumped into the 19-year-old right-handed batter.
The incident occurred when the players were crossing over after the 10th over. After taking a single off Mohammed Siraj’s last ball, Konstas took his gloves off and started to walk towards his batting partner Usman Khawaja at the other end. Kohli picked up the ball and moved purposefully in Konstas’ direction. The Australian teenager did not change direction, and neither did the Indian legend, as they ended up bumping into each other.
Kohli turned back and hurled a few words, and so did Konstas. Khawaja was quick to spot the tension rising. He separated the two by putting his arm around Kohli. The on-field umpires also had a word Kohli and Konstas.
Vaughan, Ponting not happy with Kohli
Former England captain Michael Vaughan said the match referee would surely look into that. It was something that Kohli would not look back with pride, he added. “Konstas was going his way. Look at Virat. He has changed direction. Virat is an all-time great. He is vastly experienced. He would look back and say, ‘Why did I do this?'” Vaughan said on commentary.
“Yes, he would,” Vaughan said when asked whether the match referee, Andy Pycroft, would look into this matter.
Summary: Virat Kohli was involved in a physical altercation with Sam Konstas, prompting Ricky Ponting and Michael Vaughan to urge the ICC match referee to take action.