Thu Dec 26 10:30:17 UTC 2024: ## Kohli Fined for Shoulder Barge Incident During Melbourne Test
**Melbourne, Australia** – Former India captain Virat Kohli has been fined 20% of his match fee and given one demerit point for a shoulder-to-shoulder contact with Australian debutant Sam Konstas during the fourth Test match in Melbourne. The incident, which occurred during a change of ends after the 10th over of Australia’s innings, involved a brief but heated exchange between the two players. While both players acknowledged the contact, opinions differed on whether it was intentional.
The on-field umpires intervened, and the incident was subsequently reviewed by match referee Andy Pycroft. Kohli accepted the proposed sanction, avoiding a formal hearing. The ICC confirmed the Level 1 offence, stating that any inappropriate physical contact between players is against the Code of Conduct. While some commentators, including former Australian captain Ricky Ponting, suggested the incident warranted harsher punishment and even hinted at a possible suspension, the single demerit point is the extent of the penalty. Ponting noted that Kohli’s positioning contributed to the collision.
Konstas, who was batting at the time, downplayed the incident, stating that it was accidental and a product of the game’s intensity. He went on to score a half-century on his debut before being dismissed.
The incident, captured on camera and widely circulated on social media, adds a fiery element to the already intense India-Australia rivalry. The relatively mild punishment suggests the umpires and match officials viewed the contact as unintentional, despite the heated words exchanged afterwards.
First Piper 