Ricky Ponting blasts ICC for letting Virat Kohli go easily for Sam Konstas act; Gavaskar calls it ‘slap on the wrist’

Former Australia captain Ricky Ponting, who was criticised on social media mainly by Indian fans for demanding action against superstar Virat Kohli for his shoulder charge at debutant Sam Konstas, has slammed the ICC for letting the Indian legend go with a light punishment. ICC match referee Andy Pycroft deemed it as a Level 1 offence and slapped a 20% fine on Kohli along with a demerit point. Level 1 breaches carry a minimum penalty of an official reprimand, a maximum penalty of 50 per cent of a player’s match fee, and one or two demerit points. Ricky Ponting and Sunil Gavaskar discuss ICC's sanction on Virat Kohli

On-field umpires Joel Wilson and Michael Gough, third umpire Sharfuddoula Ibne Shahid and fourth umpire Shawn Craig levelled the charge.

Kohli was found to have breached Article 2.12 of the ICC Code of Conduct for Players and Player Support Personnel, which relates to “inappropriate physical contact with a Player, Player Support Personnel, Umpire, Match Referee or any other person (including a spectator during an International Match.”

The incident occurred at the end of the 10th over of Australia’s innings on Day 1 of the Boxing Day Test in Melbourne when Kohli walked up to batter Sam Konstas and negligently bumped his shoulder with the batter inappropriately.

Kohli admitted the offence and accepted the sanction proposed by Andy Pycroft of the Emirates ICC Elite Panel of Match Referees, so there was no need for a formal hearing.

‘Not harsh enough’: Ponting on ICC's 20% fine for Kohli

Ponting said the punishment was not harsh enough. "Personally, I don't think it was harsh enough. There have been precedents; things have happened in the past, and it generally has been 15-25% fine, but let's have a look at the enormity of the incident. It was the most watched day of cricket throughout the whole year all around the world. Imagine if that now happens in a grade game. What's gonna happen? I think people are gonna think that's almost acceptable now," Ponting said on Channel 7 before the start of Day 2.

Ponting agreed that there have been past instances were players have attracted similar fines but added that things should have different for Kohli as he is a role model.

"Unfortunately, for someone like Virat as we got told as captain and players... sometimes it's different for some players. He's a role model. He's someone the world looks up to," he added.

Legendary India cricketer Sunil Gavaskar, who was part of the same pre-match show, hoped people didn't remember Kohli for this incident.

"That's a slap on the wrist. All these players are highly paid professionals. Any fines will have to be a deterrent. That is in the books that you have fine an x amount. One can understand the ICC match referee went by the books and what the playing conditions are, but I just hope Kohli, who has been one of the greatest players in the world, is not remembered for this. He has got to be remembered for what he has done with the bat," he said.

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