Virat Kohli cops punishment for Sam Konstas clash as cricket fans savage 'pathetic' detail

Fans have hit out at cricket officials over the punishment handed down to veteran Indian batter Virat Kohli, who has escaped suspension for his shoulder charge on Sam Konstas on Boxing Day. Teen sensation Konstas stunned the cricket world on the opening day of the fourth Test with an audacious half century on Test debut, but it was the run-in with Kohli that grabbed most of the headlines.

On Thursday evening, Kohli accepted the sanctions proposed by Match Referee Andy Pycroft which included a fine of 20% of his match fee and the loss of one demerit point on his record. It's the same sanction that Indian teammate Mohammed Siraj received for giving Travis Head an ugly send-off during the second Test in Adelaide.

But many felt that Kohli's indiscretion was much worse than Siraj's and should have seen him slapped with a one-game suspension at the very least. That would have ruled the 36-year-old out of the fifth and final Test in Sydney, but Kohli will be free to play after copping a sanction that many felt was too lenient.

The ICC confirmed the development after a dramatic opening day at the MCG on Boxing Day. “No formal hearing was needed as Kohli accepted the sanctions proposed by Match Referee Andy Pycroft. On-field umpires Joel Wilson and Michael Gough, third umpire Sharfuddoula Ibne Shahid and fourth umpire Shawn Craig levelled the charge,” the ICC said.

To his credit, Konstas shrugged off the incident and said that whatever happens out in the middle, stays there. But cricket greats Ricky Ponting and Michael Vaughan were among those to slam Kohli, who clearly deviated from his walking direction and went out of his way to initiate contact with the 19-year-old Aussie star.

Virat Kohli slammed over Sam Konstas incident

Ponting called out Kohli's actions on Channel 7 saying: "Have a look where Virat walks. Virat's walked one whole pitch over to his right and instigated that confrontation. No doubt in my mind whatsoever." Vaughan said on Fox Cricket's coverage: "You can clearly see Virat is to blame, he made his way directly for Sam.

""Virat Kohli is a senior pro in the game and he's just got rattled by a 19-year-old by playing in the fashion that he's done... He has completely acted wrong. Why has a senior pro got rattled by a 19-year-old on his debut." Kerry O'Keeffe added: "Virat has built his entire career on arrogance and suddenly he identified that in a debutant and seemed to resent that. You can't do that, I think he's in trouble."

Cricket fans question how Virat Kohli avoided suspension

Even Indian great and Kohli's former national coach Ravi Shastri was unimpressed by the veteran's actions, with many fans left questioning how Kohli escaped suspension. "That's totally unnecessary, we don't want to see that," Shastri told Fox Cricket. "Virat's a senior player, he's been captain ... he'll have his own explanations with regards to that, but it's one thing you don't want to see.

The incident overshadowed a thrilling opening day of the fourth Test at the MCG, where Konstas announced himself on the global stage with a quick-fire 60 (off 65 balls). The 19-year-old audaciously targeted Indian spearhead Jasprit Bumrah with a series of scoops and reverse paddle shots, hitting him for 18 off one very fruitful over as Bumrah went for a career-high 34 runs in a single spell in Test cricket.

Fellow opener Usman Khawaja (57), Marnus Labuschagne (72) and Steve Smith (68 not out) all made half centuries to put the Aussies in a commanding position. But a middle order collapse of 3-9 in the final session saw the home side go from 2-237 to 5-246 before Alex Carey (31) dug in with Smith to steady the ship.

Carey was eventually removed by Akash Deep, although Bumrah was once again the pick of India's bowlers after ending day one with figures of 3-75. Smith and captain Pat Cummins (eight not out) will resume day two with Australia on 6-311. The Border-Gavaskar series is delicately poised at 1-1 and India will retain the trophy if they avoid defeat at the MCG or in Sydney for the fifth and final Test.