“Chill. I’ll…”: Usman Khawaja to Sam Konstas after Virat Kohli spat in Boxing Day Test

Several former players dismissed Virat Kohli’s avoidable tiff with youngster Sam Konstas on Thursday, while Australian opener Usman Khawaja said he stepped in to diffuse the tension because he did not want the situation to get out of hand. Khawaja was in the lead when the incident occurred in the 10th over of Australia’s innings on the opening day of the fourth Test in Melbourne. As they crossed, Kohli and Konstas bumped shoulders and quickly turned to look at each other and engaged in a heated exchange.

Khawaja immediately stepped in to separate them and put his arm around Kohli. The on-field umpires also had a chat with the two as things cooled down rather quickly.

“I was going the other way and just as I turned around I saw them collide. I was like, ‘What’s going on here?’ Sammy went, he was on fire, his prayers obviously went, I just came to diffuse the situation, Khawaja told ABC.

“I like the emotion. There was a bit of chirping going on between Sam and (Jasprit) Bumrah and Virat throughout. But I didn’t want it to be tainted by any physical contact.

“I’ve known Virat for a long time. We’ve been dating for a long time. I said (to Konstas), ‘Chill. I want to talk to him. You relax and I’ll fix this’.” Former players Justin Langer, Michael Vaughan and umpire Simon Taufel also felt that Kohli was to blame.

“We don’t like to see that in any cricket,” Langer, the former Australia coach, said during comments on the Seven Network.

“A lot will be said about this.” The incident came after 19-year-old Konstas had left India in a state of shock with his sensational batting in which he knocked down Bumrah en route to a 65-ball 60.

“Virat Kohli is such an experienced professional to be dismantled by a 19-year-old,” former England Ashes-winning captain Michael Vaughan told Fox Cricket.

“It’s Virat walking into Sam.” Taufel, a five-time umpire of the year, also felt it was Kohli who came in on Konstas’ line.

“It shows that Virat Kohli is actually changing his line to get into Sam Konstas’ personal space,” Taufel said while commentating on the Seven Network.

“My suggestion would be that they will look at it seriously and probably do something about it now.” Kohli was later fined 20 percent of his match fee and awarded a demerit point for breaching Level 1 of the ICC Code of Conduct.

Australian captain Ricky Ponting and former India coach Ravi Shastri also accused Kohli of instigating the exchange.

Oz media feels Kohli got off easy

Australian media did not seem too happy about the ICC’s minor sanction against Kohli.

“Virat Kohli is free to play in the Sydney Test after avoiding a suspension for his physical altercation with Australia’s boy wonder Sam Konstas during a dramatic start to the Boxing Day Test,” wrote the Sydney Morning Herald.

Foxsports’ headline read: “‘Completely wrong’: Kohli shocks as star avoids ban for ‘ridiculous’ clash with Australian teenager.”

(With the exception of the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)