Melbourne — Australia’s rivalry with India turned physical as Virat Kohli collided with 19-year-old Australia batter Sam Konstas on Thursday on the opening morning of the fourth test.
After choosing to bat first in hot conditions at the Melbourne Cricket Ground, Australia was comfortably placed at 112-1 at lunch. Konstas dominated an opening stand of 89 before he was out lbw to spinner Ravindra Jadeja for a daring 60 off 65 deliveries in a memorable debut.
The on-field action heated up at the end of the 10th over. Kohli collided shoulder to shoulder as he walked past Konstas, whose risky stroke play was attracting much banter from the fielding side.
Konstas and former India captain Kohli exchanged words after the collision and Kohli started walking back towards Konstas. Australia batter Usman Khawaja hurried to stand between the pair, patting Konstas on the arm then putting a friendly arm around the shoulder of 36-year-old Kohli in a bid to calm the situation.
“Virat’s walked one whole pitch over to his right and instigated that,” former Australia captain Ricky Ponting told Australia’s Channel Seven.
Ex-England captain Michael Vaughan added on Fox Cricket that Kohli would face scrutiny from the match referee. “It’s Kohli that goes off line and he walks into Sam,” Vaughan said.
Earlier, Konstas looked nervous as he played and missed four times in the opening over of the match, bowled by Jasprit Bumrah.
But in a sign of the bravery of youth, Konstas played three audacious reverse scoops over slips in Bumrah’s fourth over, hitting two fours and a six.
At lunch, Khawaja was unbeaten on 38 and Marnus Labuschagne was on 12.
Australia captain Pat Cummins had chosen to bat first on a green-tinged pitch in hot conditions.
The five-match series is level at 1-1 after a rainy draw at Brisbane,
Australia made two changes to the side which dominated the drawn test in Brisbane. Seamer Scott Boland was recalled for Josh Hazlewood, who suffered a calf-muscle strain in Brisbane. Konstas replaced struggling opener Nathan McSweeney.
India named a bowler-heavy lineup, bringing in offspinner Washington Sundar so the visitors have six bowling options. Top-order batter Shubman Gill has been dropped and captain Rohit Sharma has been named at No. 3 in India’s batting order.
The series has added significance as Australia and India are ranked second and third, respectively, behind South Africa in the race to qualify for the World Test Championship Final to be held at Lord’s in June 2025. South Africa is hosting Pakistan in a two-test series that also starts Thursday.
The fifth and final Australia-India test is scheduled to start on Jan. 3 at the Sydney Cricket Ground. — (AP)
