NEW DELHI: Former cricketers criticized Virat Kohli on Thursday for seemingly purposefully bumping into rookie Australian batsman Sam Konstas during the fourth Test match in Melbourne.
As Konstas blasted the bowlers around the Melbourne Cricket Ground en route to a scorching 60 off 65 balls, the Indian veteran seemed to make a deliberate contact with the 19-year-old rookie.
Umpire Michael Gough and Konstas’ fellow opener Usman Khawaja had to step in to break up a heated argument between the players during the first session.
Kohli’s actions were deemed “absolutely unnecessary” by former India coach Ravi Shastri.
“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,” he said on Fox Sports.
“One person who will be watching, his eyes locked into the proceedings, is (match referee) Andy Pycroft.”
Former England captain Michael Vaughan, also in Australia for commentary, claimed that Kohli “completely acted wrong”.
“I don’t know why a senior pro who’s played for so long… why’s he’s been rattled by a 19-year-old. Sam Konstas did absolutely nothing wrong there,” he added.
In a press conference after the day’s play, Konstas downplayed the incident.
“I was just doing my gloves and I think he accidently bumped me. But that’s just cricket, the tension,” said the teenager, Australia’s youngest-ever opener.
