An animated chat between Virat Kohli and Australian debutant Sam Konstas on the opening day of the fourth Test match which was played at Melbourne became a major topic of discussion among cricket fans. The altercation reportedly began when Virat Kohli shoulder-barged Konstas, leading to a confrontation.
Match referee Andy Pycroft intervened, penalising Virat Kohli with a fine of 20% of his match fee and adding a demerit point to his disciplinary record. Later, Sam Konstas was seen rallying the crowd to cheer loudly when Virat Kohli was dismissed in India’s first innings.
However, Australian wicketkeeper Alex Carey downplayed any suggestion of animosity between the two players despite the incident.
While speaking to the reporters, Alex Carey said, “Not that I’m aware of… I think I saw a photo of them shaking hands and a little tap on the back. It’s Test cricket. I’m not 100 per cent sure, but Sam didn’t take it to heart.”
19 years old Sam Konstas made his Test debut after replacing Nathan McSweeney for the fourth match. The teenager, a member of Australia’s U19 ODI World Cup-winning squad earlier this year, impressed on debut with a dynamic half-century.
Alex Carey noted that while Sam Konstas brought fresh energy to the team, this aggressive style might not be his approach in every match. Alex Carey said, “Just the energy he brought, it was something different. Probably wasn’t expecting that amount of difference, but he played a style of cricket that was probably new to India as well.”
He added, “We’ll wait and see how he plays out here (SCG). I don’t think that’s his blueprint every Test match, but to be able to throw a few punches early and get a bit of momentum for us, the opening partnership was probably just lacking that intensity.”
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Australia secured a commanding 184-run victory in the fourth Test, taking a 2-1 lead in the five-match series. The fifth and final Test is set to begin in Sydney on January 3.
