Photo Credit: Instagram Photo of @rickyponting
Virat Kohli was fined by the ICC for shoulder-barging Sam Konstas on the opening day of the ongoing fourth Test of the Border-Gavaskar Trophy 2024 in Melbourne. The incident occurred after a verbal exchange between Konstas and Mohammed Siraj earlier in the day.
During a changeover, Kohli was seen making deliberate physical contact with Konstas, leaving the Australian player visibly surprised.
The ICC subsequently fined Kohli 20% of his match fee and added one demerit point to his disciplinary record. However, several Australian players and media outlets criticized the decision, arguing that the punishment was too lenient. Some called for a one-match ban for Kohli.
Former Australian cricketers Ricky Ponting and Mark Waugh expressed dissatisfaction with the ICC’s decision, stating that Kohli’s actions warranted stricter punishment.
In contrast, Indian cricket legend Sunil Gavaskar defended the ICC’s decision, emphasizing that no favoritism was involved.
“Yes, you would say that the punishment may be light, considering the experience that he has had. But, that’s the maximum punishment that is decided by the ICC. He has not been done any favor. If, for example, the fine was 10 percent, then you could have said ‘ah, he has been done a favor.’ But, the fine for a Level 1 offence is maximum 20 percent,” Gavaskar told Star Sports.
“I am not 100 percent on that, but I am given to understand that there is one demerit point and a fine. That’s the maximum allowed, that’s what has been levied on him. No special favors have been done to him. You can’t hang a man for picking someone’s pocket. That’s what the Australian media is asking for. The Australian media think they got away because he is Kohli. But, that is not the thing,” he added.
Gavaskar also pointed out that similar incidents involving other cricketers in the past year, including Jasprit Bumrah and Josh Little, resulted in comparable penalties for physical contact.
“I know in this particular year, there have been four such incidents in which there have been fines. Last December, Ireland bowler Josh Little was fined 15 percent for physical contact with a batter, a Level 1 offence. In that game, Andy Pycroft was the match referee. Jasprit Bumrah was also reprimanded for Level 1 physical contact with England’s Ollie Pope,” Gavaskar said.
Meanwhile, Irfan Pathan criticized the Australian media for what he called attempts to vilify Kohli and exploit his popularity. Pathan argued that these actions were intended to boost cricket’s visibility in Australia by leveraging Kohli’s star power.
“First of all, the newspapers and even some ex-cricketers here are showing heights of double standards. One moment you are hailing a man as king, and the very next moment, when he shows some aggression on the field, you are going to call him a joker? We have never supported what he (Kohli) has done, but the referee is going to do his job, and the necessary action will be taken. But calling him a joker after all of that. You are just using him and trying to make cricket famous in the country again. But how are you doing that? You are using Virat Kohli’s market value, and we will absolutely not accept that,” Pathan said on Star Sports.
Pathan further condemned the media for disparaging Kohli, highlighting the Indian cricketer’s contributions as a global ambassador for the sport.
On the field, tensions between the teams continued to simmer as the Test match progressed.
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Name of Author: Cricexec Staff
