Irfan Pathan calls out Kohli

Irfan Pathan has recently called out Virat  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 he 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.

<p><h2>Kohli Reactions

Virat Kohli found himself at the center of controversy during the opening day of the Boxing Day Test in Melbourne, following a physical altercation with Australian debutant Sam Konstas. The incident occurred at the end of the 10th over, when Kohli, while walking across the pitch, deliberately shoulder-bumped Konstas, sparking a brief but tense exchange between the two players.

Match officials, including on-field umpires Joel Wilson and Michael Gough, along with third umpire Sharfuddoula Ibne Shahid and fourth umpire Shawn Craig, reviewed the incident and charged Kohli with a Level 1 offense under Article 2.12 of the ICC Code of Conduct, which prohibits inappropriate physical contact with players, officials, or any other person during an international match

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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