Melbourne: The Indian cricket prodigy Virat Kohli has unexpectedly become part of the bad news machine due to a rough incident that took place during the Boxing Day Test bout against Australia. The situation that caused Kohli’s head-turning controversy was the collision between him and 19-year-old Australian debutant Sam Konstas, such an incident that shuttled the sporting circles with bickering.
The issue was on the very first day of the Test match held at the Melbourne Cricket Ground (MCG). While Kohli was fielding, he seemed to purposively shoulder-bump Konstas, who was making a supernumerary debut. This demonstration of hostility provoked a verbal exchange between the two players that received attention from both on-field umpires and spectators alike.
The international cricket governing body, the International Cricket Council (ICC), responded to the incident by making Kohli pay a fine of 20% of his match fee and giving him a demerit point for his actions. The ICC’s rules prevent any type of inappropriate physical contact in the matches, and Kohli’s actions were viewed as a transgression of these rules.
Former Australian cricketer Kerry O’Keeffe was one who gave a loud voice to his criticism of Kohli, describing his behaviour as incredibly arrogant. However, later he told, “I want to apologise for calling Virat Kohli arrogant. He plays his cricket passionately. It seems he was a bit annoyed when he saw another player displaying similar swagger.”
This act has not only become a headache for Australian commentators and former players but also puzzled even the people from India. High-profile figures like Ravi Shastri and Dinesh Karthik have also discussed the matter off the field, hinting that Kohli was motivated by the annoyance of Konstas’s sensational display that was a speedy 60 runs off just 65 balls on his debut.
Kohli’s aggressive style has frequently been a matter of debate, but this latest incident has stirred up a demand for strict penalties for players showing bad behavior. As the cricket fraternity is all afire with the aftereffects of the incident, it remains to be seen how the entire affair will impact Kohli’s act and career in the future.
As far as the players’ behaviour is concerned, this incident serves to show the obligatory ethics by virtue of which the athletes have to walk on the edge of the knife: competitiveness against sportsmanship.
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