Virat Kohli has been fined 20 percent of his match fees following an incident that took place on the first day of the Boxing Day Test against Australia at the Melbourne Cricket Ground (MCG). Kohli, a prominent player among the top-tier Indian cricketers, is part of the Grade A+ contract category with the BCCI, which means he earns a match fee of Rs 15 lakh for Test matches.
As a result of the fine, Kohli will pay Rs 3 lakh from his match fees. In ODIs and T20Is, Indian cricketers receive match fees of Rs 6 lakh and Rs 3 lakh, respectively. On the first day of the Boxing Day Test, Kohli was involved in a brief encounter with Australian debutant Sam Konstas, who is one of the youngest players to play for Australia in Test cricket.
During a break in play, Kohli seemed to come into contact with Konstas while switching ends with his teammate Usman Khawaja. Former Australian captain Ricky Ponting, who was commentating at the time, remarked that Kohli might have intentionally collided with the young player.
However, video replays showed a different story; it was actually Konstas who unintentionally moved into Kohli’s path while adjusting his gloves and looking down. Along with the fine, Kohli also received a demerit point for the clash that occurred on the field.
In the past, Kohli has faced repercussions for his on-field behavior. For instance, during the Indian Premier League (IPL) last year, he had a heated exchange with Gautam Gambhir, then a mentor for Lucknow Super Giants, and was fined 100 percent of his match fee for violating the league’s code of conduct. Interestingly, reports indicated that the Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB) management covered the fine instead of Kohli himself, reflecting a supportive culture within the team.
While it remains uncertain who will bear the cost of Kohli’s latest fine—whether it will be Kohli himself or the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI)—the focus for Kohli now shifts to helping India gain an advantage in the ongoing fourth Test against Australia.
