Sunil Gavaskar Criticizes Virat Kohli’s On-Field Incident with Sam Konstas
Sunil Gavaskar voiced his disappointment over an incident involving Virat Kohli and Sam Konstas during the first day of the Boxing Day Test between India and Australia at the MCG.
Kohli and Konstas come together and make contact 👀#AUSvIND pic.twitter.com/adb09clEqd
— 7Cricket (@7Cricket) December 26, 2024
The situation unfolded when Konstas, a 19-year-old opener playing his debut Test match, crossed paths with Kohli during an over break. As Konstas walked toward his teammate and Kohli adjusted his fielding position while holding the ball, the two collided, leading to a tense exchange. Umpires intervened to defuse the situation, with Usman Khawaja stepping in to calm things down by placing his arm around Kohli’s shoulders.
It remains unclear if the collision was deliberate, but replays suggest Kohli may have intended to unsettle the young batsman.
Gavaskar criticized the incident, calling it unnecessary and avoidable. “It’s like walking on a busy street—you see someone coming and just move aside. It doesn’t make you any smaller if you step away. These things don’t belong on the cricket field,” he said. Gavaskar added that initially, it appeared both players didn’t see each other coming, but replays might reveal more. He expected fines to be imposed by the end of the day.
Despite the incident, Konstas had an impressive debut, scoring 60 runs off 65 balls, including six fours and two sixes. He displayed remarkable confidence, even hitting Indian pacer Jasprit Bumrah for 14 runs in a single over.
Former Australian captain Ricky Ponting also criticized Kohli, stating, “Virat moved a whole pitch over to his right and instigated the confrontation. Fielders know to stay away from the batsman in those moments. Konstas looked up late and wouldn’t have seen anyone in front of him. Kohli may have some questions to answer.”
The incident has sparked discussions about sportsmanship and the need for discipline on the field.
