IND vs AUS Boxing Day Test: Virat Kohli and Australia’s Konstas spar on opening morning at Melbourne Ground

Australia-India rivalry intensifies as Kohli collides with Konstas, sparking on-field altercation in fourth test at Melbourne Cricket Ground.

Australia’s rivalry with India turned physical as Virat Kohli collided with 19-year-old Australia batter Sam Konstas on Thursday (December 26, 2024) on the opening morning of the fourth test.

After choosing to bat first in hot conditions at the Melbourne Cricket Ground, Australia was comfortably placed at 112-1 at lunch. Konstas dominated an opening stand of 89 before he was out lbw to spinner Ravindra Jadeja for a daring 60 off 65 deliveries in a memorable debut.

The on-field action heated up at the end of the 10th over. Kohli collided shoulder to shoulder as he walked past Konstas, whose risky stroke play was attracting much banter from the fielding side.

Konstas and former India captain Kohli exchanged words after the collision and Kohli started walking back towards Konstas. Australia batter Usman Khawaja hurried to stand between the pair, patting Konstas on the arm then putting a friendly arm around the shoulder of 36-year-old Kohli in a bid to calm the situation.

“Virat’s walked one whole pitch over to his right and instigated that,” former Australia captain Ricky Ponting told Australia’s Channel Seven.

Former England captain Michael Vaughan added on Fox Cricket that Kohli would face scrutiny from the match referee. “It’s Kohli that goes off line and he walks into Sam,” Vaughan said.

Earlier, Konstas looked nervous as he played and missed four times in the opening over of the match, bowled by Jasprit Bumrah.