Irfan Pathan has recently called out Virat Kohli following an altercation during the ongoing Border-Gavaskar Trophy series between India and Australia. The incident occurred on December 26, 2024, during the first day of the fourth Test at the Melbourne Cricket Ground, where Kohli bumped into Australian debutant Sam Konstas after the 10th over. This physical contact led to a brief exchange of words between the players, prompting intervention from Usman Khawaja to diffuse the situation.
Pathan expressed his disappointment with Kohli’s actions, emphasizing that such physical contact is inappropriate in cricket. He stated,
“Stay away from contact. You cannot contact a player… When we were 19-year-old boys, Hayden, Gilchrist, and all used to make a lot of noise from behind but never touched us”.
He further questioned how Kohli would feel if a young Indian player had made similar contact with a senior Australian player like Steve Smith, highlighting a double standard in expectations for behavior on the field.
In response to the incident, Kohli was fined 20% of his match fee and received one demerit point for violating the International Cricket Council’s Code of Conduct regarding inappropriate physical contact.
This incident has sparked discussions about player behavior and the responsibilities of senior players like Kohli in setting an example for younger teammates.
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