On Day 1 of the 4th Test of The Border-Gavaskar Trophy 2024-25 at Melbourne Cricket Ground (MCG), Usman Khawaja and 19-year-old debutant Sam Konstas opened the innings for the hosts and within no time Konstas smashed Indian bowling all over the MCG.
The youngster’s aggressive and fearless approach against Jasprit Bumrah captured the attention of the whole cricket world, As he struck the 31-year-old for a six on the 6.2 over, Konstas became only the 7th batter to launch a six off India’s lead fast bowler.
He also became the first player since Cameron Green in January 2021 to hit a maximum. This run lasted an incredible 4483 days. The tension between players had been growing throughout the first session, mainly due to the bold approach of debutant Konstas. He smashed a quick 60 runs off 65 balls.
The young opener’s bold batting style earned praise but also seemed to annoy the Indian players, leading to a reaction from Kohli. The 36-year-old Indian star looked upset by Konstas’ aggressive play, which ended with the shoulder bump when Kohli passed the debutant at the end of the 10th over.
Virat Kohli and Sam Konstas exchanged a heated moment on the MCG. #AUSvIND pic.twitter.com/QL13nZ9IGI
— cricket.com.au (@cricketcomau) December 26, 2024
The incident caused a lot of criticism, both on and off the field, with many former cricketers sharing their opinions. It seemed like the matter would be settled after the match referee gave his decision, but the Australian media was unhappy to see the India star only receive a 20 percent fine on his match fee and one demerit point.
“I’ve engaged in sledging as well, but only verbally and in a mannered way. However, what Virat Kohli did today is hard to believe. If someone asks me for my opinion, I’d say a thousand times over that Virat Kohli is guilty.” Basit Ali expressed his disappointment about the incident.
Read more: Pakistan’s Batting Exposed as Bowlers Put South Africa Ahead in the First Test
Jasir Basharat is a cricket enthusiast capturing the heart of the game through insightful analysis and storytelling sharing his passion for the sport through engaging narratives. He is a business graduate from University of Kashmir.
