Cricket fans on social media have lashed out at Ricky Ponting after the Channel 7 commentator came to the defense of Sam Konstas on Boxing Day.
The 19-year-old dazzled fans at the MCG on his Test debut, striking Jasprit Bumrah twice (one of his strikes went for six) before scoring 60 runs off 65 balls before being dismissed by Ravindra Jadeja.
It was a sensational start to life in the Australian Test team, but there was a flashpoint on the opening day of the fourth Test.
Former Indian captain Virat Kohli seemed to shoulder the young New South Wales batsman.
Fans inside the MCG were in an uproar over the incident in which Kohli, 36, exchanged some tense words with the young New South Wales batsman at mid-wicket.
Kohli has since been charged by the ICC for violating level one of the ICC code of conduct.
Article 2.12 of the code refers to ''inappropriate physical contact with a player, player support staff, referee, match official or any other person (including a spectator during an international match).'
Ricky Ponting has been criticized by some fans online for his double standards following Sam Konstas' tense clash with Virat Kohli.
The moment Virat Kohli (left) shoulder-bumps Sam Konstas (right) as the 19-year-old raced to an impressive 60 on his Boxing Day Test debut.
Kohli (second from right) had been seen walking towards Konstas before the shoulder charge occurred.
Kohli will donate 20 per cent of his match fee and will receive a demerit point. It will avoid a more lenient sanction such as a one-match suspension.
“Kohli admitted the offense and accepted the sanction proposed by Andy Pycroft… so there was no need for a formal hearing,” the ICC said in a statement on Thursday night.
“The incident occurred at the end of Australia's 10th innings when Kohli approached batsman Sam Konstas and negligently bumped his shoulder into the batsman in an inappropriate manner.”
Konstas appeared to put the incident behind him after the match, telling Channel 7: “I think the emotions got to us both.”
“I didn't fully realize it, I was wiping my gloves and then a bit of a load on my shoulder, but it happens in cricket.”
But both Ricky Ponting and Ravi Shastri claimed during the live telecast of the match that Kohli was wrong about the incident.
“Virat walked an entire field to his right and instigated that confrontation,” Ponting said on Channel Seven.
I have no doubt. I have no doubt that the referees and the referee will see it well. The fielders should not be anywhere near the batsman at that stage. Every fielder on the field knows where the batsmen will congregate and assemble.
Kohli accepted an ICC sanction and will have 20 per cent deducted from his match fee but is set to escape a ban.
Konstas (left) exchanged angry words with Kohli (second from right) after the clash.
'It seemed to me that Konstas looked up very late and didn't even notice that there was someone in front of him. That man on screen (Kohli) might have some questions to answer.'
Shastri followed up on Ponting's comments, telling SEN: 'Absolutely unnecessary. “I imagine the match referee will look at it carefully.”
Even though Kohli was eventually sanctioned by the ICC over the matter, some cricket fans took to social media to call Ponting's comments a double standard.
They pointed to a moment in 1998, during a one-day match between India and Australia in Sharjah.
Ponting had been dismissed by 19-year-old Harbhajan Singh, who had celebrated in front of the former Australian captain after he was stumped by straying too far from his area.
Ponting reacted furiously to the youngster's celebrations and appeared to sledge back the 19-year-old Indian star as he walked off the field.
Fans took to Oh, what irony!
“Ponting lecturing on morality is like a cat teaching table manners,” one fan wrote.
Fans pointed out a moment back in 1998 when Ponting (left) appeared to throw a big sledge at young Harbhajan Singh.
Some cricket fans criticized Ponting for his comments attacking Kohli after his dispute with Singh, claiming it was a double standard.
“Australian legend Ricky Ponting offers words of encouragement to 19-year-old Harbhajan Singh,” one fan wrote. 'Today when Kohli did it, everyone started crying, including our own people. Hypocrites, why do we always like to be bullied?
Another
Ponting reflects on his fun first meeting with Konstas
Despite the altercation with Kohli, which could add extra edge to the rest of the Border-Gavaskar series, Konstas enjoyed an excellent opening day on his Test debut.
The 19-year-old oozed confidence and looked at home as he stepped out in front of 90,000 fans at a packed MCG to open the batting alongside Usman Khawaja.
Ponting also shared a humorous story about the youngster ahead of a Big Bash meeting in recent weeks.
Konstas currently starts alongside David Warner for the Thunder and has enjoyed decent form with the over-20s team, despite coming out on top in their recent derby against the Sixers. Before that, Konstas had scored 56 against the Strikers.
“I had a conversation with Sam Konstas before his first BBL game about a week ago,” Ponting told Channel 7, speaking about his first meeting with Konstas, who has been opening the batting alongside David Warner for Sydney Thunder.
“Then I realized how confident he was in his own ability. And I asked him, “Sam, are you really going to play tonight, buddy?”
Konstas (pictured) was endorsed by several experts, including Ponting and Alyssa Healy.
Kohli could have received a much harsher penalty if his knock had been deemed to be above the threshold for a level two offence.
'I hadn't met him before, so I did everything I could to go and meet him. He looked at me and said, “Yeah, you should have played me last year!”
'He said, “What awaits you after this?”
'I said, “Well, I have the IPL in mid-March.”
“He said, 'Well, then you'll have to give me the option next year, right?'”
'The third question he asked me then was: “What comes after that?”
Ponting then responded to Konstas: “If Australia gets to the final of the World Test Championship, I'll be in the UK commentating on that.”
“He (Konstas) said, 'Well, I'll be on the team by then, so I'll catch you there too!'
Australia finished the first day of the fourth Test on 311-6, with Steve Smith (68) and Pat Cummins (8) set to return to the crease on Friday morning at the MCG.