Sunil Gavaskar expressed his disapproval regarding the incident involving Virat Kohli and Sam Konstas on the first day of the Boxing Day Test between India and Australia at the MCG on Thursday. The confrontation occurred early in the opening session when Kohli appeared to shoulder the young Australian player. It remains unclear whether this action was deliberate; however, replays suggest that Kohli may have intended to unsettle the 19-year-old opener, who was making his Test debut.

During a break in play, as Konstas approached his teammate, Kohli, holding the ball, shifted his position on the field. This resulted in a collision between the two players, which escalated into a heated exchange. The umpires stepped in to manage the situation, with Usman Khawaja also attempting to calm things down by placing his arms around Kohli's shoulders. Gavaskar, one of the co-founders of the Border-Gavaskar Trophy, found the incident inappropriate and expressed confidence that disciplinary action would be taken by the end of the day's play.

"This situation could have been easily avoided. It’s akin to navigating a crowded street; when you see someone approaching, you simply step aside. Doing so does not diminish you in any way. Such occurrences should not be witnessed on the field, certainly not," Gavaskar remarked during the lunch break.

Expect some fines, says Gavaskar

"My first instinct, looking at it without seeing the replays, was that both were looking down, so they didn't see each other coming. Konstas was looking at his bat; Kohli had the ball in his hand, and he was doing something. But with that footage, we'll see who gets fined more this evening."

Konstas made a remarkable entry into international cricket for India, scoring 60 runs off 65 deliveries, which included six boundaries and two sixes. His aggressive performance against Jasprit Bumrah, the leading bowler of the series, was nothing short of extraordinary, as he accumulated 14 runs off Bumrah's third over. Konstas relentlessly attacked the Indian bowling lineup, showing no hesitation in targeting both Bumrah and Mohammed Siraj.

Australia capitalized on Konstas' explosive innings, reaching a total of 112 runs by the time lunch was called. Although Konstas was eventually dismissed LBW by Ravindra Jadeja, he had already inflicted significant damage on the Indian side, who are striving to regain the upper hand in the ongoing Border-Gavaskar Trophy.

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