The International Cricket Council (ICC) has imposed a 20% match fee fine on Team India’s star batter Virat Kohli following an on-field incident during the boxing Day Test against Australia. The incident resulted in Kohli also receiving one demerit point on his disciplinary record.
The confrontation occurred during the first day of play when Kohli and Australian batter Marnus Labuschagne were involved in an unexpected physical contact. During the 11th over bowled by Jasprit Bumrah, Kohli collected the ball and was moving towards the non-striker’s end while Labuschagne was heading to the striker’s position. The two players brushed shoulders, leading to a heated exchange of words between them.
The situation required immediate intervention from Usman Khawaja and the on-field umpires, who stepped in to prevent the incident from escalating further. Following the clash, there was widespread speculation about potential disciplinary action against Kohli, with some former players suggesting he might face a match ban.
Labuschagne, however, has downplayed the significance of the incident in his post-match comments. “We both got a bit emotional in the moment,” he explained. “I didn’t notice Virat coming as I was adjusting my gloves. These things happen in cricket. It’s not a big issue.”
After reviewing the incident, the ICC determined that Kohli had violated Level 1 of their Code of Conduct. While the immediate penalty was limited to the fine and single demerit point, it’s worth noting that accumulating four demerit points within a 24-month period would result in a one-match suspension for Kohli.
