Cricket Australia (CA) CEO Nick Hockley has given his opinion on Virat Kohli and Sam Konstas’ physical altercation. Coming to watch the game on the second day of the Boxing Day Test, Hockley acknowledged that physical contact on their cricket field is unacceptable and lauded 19-year-old Sam Konstas for showing maturity.
Konstas showed maturity: Cricket Australia CEO
“Not a great look. I mean, you know, physical contact on the cricket field is a complete no-no. It wasn’t great,” Hockley told SEN Radio.
“I think clearly Virat in accepting the charge has taken responsibility and I actually thought Sam Konstas showed maturity beyond his years and was actually very gracious to brush it off. What I think it does I think it highlights just the intensity of the competition but also just how much is at stake in this series but yeah not a great look,” The administrator added.
Was Virat Kohli penalised correctly by the ICC?
Hockley was asked on air whether he thought the International Cricket Council (ICC) made a fair ruling by handing Kohli a 20% fine on his match fee. To this, he said, “I think that’s for the officials. I’ve got a really experienced panel of officials here, and I think the main thing is that kind of Virat has accepted the charge and taken responsibility.”
One mustn’t forget that Kagiso Rabada was handed a 2-match ban by the ICC for making physical contact with Steve Smith while celebrating a dismissal in 2018. Compared to before, they have basically let Kohli go with a gentle tap on the wrist. But would ICC have given an Australian player just a 20% fine? Hockley was posed this question.
“I think that’s for the match referee. There’s a very clear code, and that’s for the officials to administer, so you know I think that’s all been undertaken in the normal course,” Hockley said diplomatically.
