‘Stay away from contact’: Irfan Pathan shares his views on Kohli-Konstas altercation

Virat Kohli’s shoulder barge with 19-year-old debutant Sam Konstas, who was heading to the other end between overs, nearly turned the Boxing Day Test match between Australia and India at the MCG into a boxing bout.

Kohli was fined 20% of his match money as a result of the incident. Following the altercation, the experts were also not pleased with Virat Kohli.

Irfan Pathan, a former pace bowling all-rounder for India, offered his thoughts on the incident and criticised Kohli’s behaviour, stating that the former captain should have avoided any physical contact.

“Avoid making touch. A player cannot be contacted. You can encourage your players and act aggressively. He is a boy of 19 years old. Gilchrist, Hayden, and the other boys used to make a lot of noise behind us when we were 19 years old, but they never touched us. On the cricket pitch, you could have prevented that’, Pathan stated in an interview with Star Sports.

“I have a query. Would we have approved if one of our 19-year-old guys, Steve Smith, Australia’s senior player, had shown up and pushed like that during his debut? It would not have pleased us in the least. The same thing,” said Pathan.

Sam Konstas produced an attacking knock on his Test debut while remaining composed despite the altercation with Virat Kohli. The teenage player achieved the fastest half-century by an Australian Test hitter, reaching 60 runs from just 65 deliveries in 52 deliveries. He hit two sixes and six fours during his innings. The reverse scoop from Bumrah that went for a six was the high point of his innings. With captain Pat Cummins and Steven Smith at the crease, Australia ended the day with a score of 311/6.