Former India captain Virat Kohli is facing a possible fine after bumping shoulders with Australia’s Sam Konstas in a fiery opening Thursday to the fourth test of the five-match series.
After choosing to bat at the Melbourne Cricket Ground, Australia reached 311-6 at stumps Thursday.
Teenager Konstas (60), Usman Khawaja (57), Marnus Labuschagne (72) and Steve Smith (68 not out) all made half-centuries in front of a crowd of 87,242.
Jasprit Bumrah claimed 3-75, continuing his dominance of Australia’s batters in this series.
The on-field action heated up at the end of the 10th over. Kohli collided shoulder to shoulder as he walked past 19-year-old Konstas, whose risky stroke-play was causing enormous frustration for the fielding side.
Debutant Konstas and 36-year-old Kohli exchanged words after the collision. A visibly angry Kohli started walking back towards Konstas before umpire Michael Gough and Khawaja hurried over to settle things down between the pair.
India assistant coach Abishek Nayar said he could not confirm a media report that Kohli had accepted a fine of 20% of his match fee. Nayar said he did not see the incident as he was “having a conversation outside."
“When you play a game like that, there’s always going to be emotions, but I’m pretty sure that it’s not as big as it seems,” he said.
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Konstas said Kohli had run into him “accidentally.”
“I was just doing my gloves and I think he accidentally bumped me. But I think that’s just cricket, just the tension,” Konstas said.
Konstas said his aggressive batting was part of a new era in test cricket.
“Yeah definitely. I reckon 20 or 30 years ago people would be saying ‘defend a lot, just bat all day’,” Konstas said. “But I think there’s a new generation, new shots. It’s exciting for me. I like doing that, putting pressure back on the bowlers.”
Konstas admitted it “probably would look silly” if he was dismissed playing such outlandish shots.
“That’s the beauty about being young and maybe a bit naïve,” he said.
Asked about his verbal battles with India’s bowlers, Konstas said: “It got heated at times which was good for me. I feel like that brings the best out of me.”
Nayar said India’s bowlers showed a lot of character to bounce back after Konstas led Australia’s scoring in the opening session.
“Overall, we were happy with where we ended,” he said.
Earlier, Konstas looked nervous as he played and missed four times in the opening over of the match, bowled by Bumrah. The youngster fought back by playing three audacious reverse scoops over slips in Bumrah’s fourth over, hitting two fours and a six.
Konstas dominated an opening stand of 89 before he was lbw to spinner Ravindra Jadeja, ending a pulsating 65-ball debut. Australia reached 112-1 at lunch.
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Khawaja scored his first half-century of the series before Bumrah struck at 154-2 when the left-hander chipped a catch to mid-wicket.
Australia was in control at 237-2 but lost momentum when Labuschagne miscued a lofted drive and was caught at mid-off off the bowling of spinner Washington Sundar. Labuschagne had added 83 for the third wicket with Steve Smith.
Travis Head, the leading run-scorer in the series, was bowled for a duck by Bumrah after offering no shot in a crucial breakthrough for India three runs later.
Mitchell Marsh was caught behind for four in Bumrah’s next over as Australia suffered a middle-order collapse, losing three wickets for nine runs.
Akash Deep broke a partnership of 53 between Smith and Alex Carey (31) in the second over with the second new ball when Carey was caught behind. At stumps, Pat Cummins was was providing good support for Smith, reaching eight not out.
The five-match series is level at 1-1 after a rainy draw at Brisbane, The fifth and final test is scheduled to start on Jan. 3 at the Sydney Cricket Ground.