What a remarkable day’s cricket we have witnessed at the MCG this Boxing Day. From an astonishing Test debut through some veteran consolidation, the failure of the series’ best batsman, and wickets to the series’ best bowler. There was hardly a dull moment for the sell-out crowd gathered at the heart of steamy Melbourne,  but one of the biggest talking points from the day was a mid-pitch shoulder collision.

Before this vital fourth Test, Australia made the bold, if mistakenly delayed, decision to select 19-year-old Sam Konstas to open the batting alongside Usman Khawaja. Captain Pat Cummins spoke to Konstas on the eve of his much hyped debut and told him to bat like a kid in his backyard. Never before in the history of captain’s instructions has advice been taken on board so vigorously and literally. Konstas played without fear or care, unsuccessfully attempting to ramp the world’s best fast bowler over the back fence, before he had even found the middle of his bat. At his third unsuccessful attempt at an audacious shot the mood of the crowd shifted to muttered disapproval.

To the purist it was a sickeningly petulant display of the worst that the T20 format has brought to cricket. Gone were the glorious forward defensives, the confident leaves outside off stump, the classic cover drives. The bread and butter shots of the new generation involve exposing all three stumps whilst taking ridiculous risks to find some unguarded path to or over the rope. Premeditating reverse scoops, dancing down the pitch for a cross bat swipe, backing away to late cut a full ball off middle stump. All fine when playing the shortest forms of the game, but an insult to all those who have mastered the only true format, Test cricket.

And so it was completely understandable that the gall of Konstas would upset a master of the game like Virat Kohli. Having been gracious enough to share the MCG stage with this upstart on debut, the complete disrespect for the mightiest of India’s bowlers, was too much for the King to bear. 

Picking up the ball at the end of an over Kohli strode purposely towards the pitch where young Konstas was walking down the fringe to compare notes with his batting partner. Konstas held is line as Kohli straightened, their shoulders colliding with all the impact of two old ladies jockeying for position in the queue for the bistro. Konstas turned to question his idol’s intentions. Kohli showed him and the gathering parties of interest that he was merely delivering the ball to the next bowler. He further indicated that he felt Konstas had been the aggressor.

In the confined spaces of the playing field of the MCG, it is surprising that more collisions don’t occur. Konstas, on debut, needed to be aware of Kohli’s presence, and divert his path to avoid the contact. It was clearly a rookie error from someone who was not even born when Kohli began his ascension to the pinnacle of cricketing greatness. 

Remarkably the match referee deemed the offence to be a Level 1 charge against Kohli! He will be fined 20% of his match payments and allowed to play in the fifth Test at the SCG.

The ICC described Kohli’s conduct as negligent and inappropriate.

“Kohli admitted the offence and accepted the sanction proposed by Andy Pycroft … so there was no need for a formal hearing,” the ICC said.

No action was taken against Konstas for his disrespectful batting performance nor his distinct lack of spatial awareness when in the presence of cricketing royalty.