Former Australia batter Mark Waugh has slammed the International Cricket Council (ICC), calling its 20 percent fine on Virat Kohli for shoulder barge against Sam Konstas on Day 1 too lenient. “It doesn’t matter who you are; that sort of behaviour is unacceptable,” Waugh said on Fox Cricket. “He’s extremely lucky the penalty was so lenient … it could easily have been deemed a Level 2 offence.
“The fine should be at least 75% of the match fee if you’re going to impose a monetary penalty. Incidents like this could escalate, involving players or even the crowd, especially in hostile environments. Physical contact of this nature is simply not acceptable.”
ICC match referee Andy Pycroft classified the incident as a Level 1 offence, resulting in a 20 percent fine on Kohli’s match fee and the addition of a demerit point. Level 1 breaches carry a minimum penalty of an official reprimand and a maximum penalty of 50% of the player’s match fee, along with one or two demerit points. On-field umpires Joel Wilson and Michael Gough, third umpire Sharfuddoula Ibne Shahid, and fourth umpire Shawn Craig brought the charge against Kohli.
Kohli was found to have breached Article 2.12 of the ICC Code of Conduct for Players and Player Support Personnel, which pertains to “inappropriate physical contact with a Player, Player Support Personnel, Umpire, Match Referee, or any other person (including a spectator) during an International Match.”
The incident occurred at the end of the 10th over of Australia’s innings on Day 1 of the Boxing Day Test in Melbourne when Kohli walked up to batter Sam Konstas and negligently bumped shoulders with him.
Kohli admitted to the offence and accepted the sanction proposed by Andy Pycroft of the Emirates ICC Elite Panel of Match Referees, eliminating the need for a formal hearing.
Legendary India cricketer Sunil Gavaskar, speaking on the same pre-match show, expressed hope that Kohli would not be remembered for this incident.
“That’s just a slap on the wrist. These players are highly paid professionals, so any fines must serve as a deterrent. I understand the ICC match referee followed the rulebook and the playing conditions, but I hope Kohli, one of the greatest players in the world, is remembered for his incredible achievements with the bat, not for this,” Gavaskar said.
