Melbourne: A confrontation between Indian star Virat Kohli and Australia's debutant Sam Konstas has sparked a fresh controversy during the Boxing Day Test. The 19-year-old Konstas, who impressed with his fearless batting, was at the centre of attention after an incident involving Kohli, which led to a heated exchange between the two players.

The altercation occurred after the 10th over, as players switched ends. Following a single off the last ball from Mohammad Siraj, Konstas removed his gloves and began walking towards his batting partner Usman Khawaja at the other end. As Konstas made his way down the pitch, Kohli, who had followed through with the ball, collided with him. This led to an exchange of words, with the situation escalating until Khawaja intervened, calming the players and preventing further confrontation.

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The incident quickly drew reactions from former cricketers, with both England captain Michael Vaughan and Australian captain Ricky Ponting calling for action against Kohli, arguing that physical contact was unnecessary. Ponting, in particular, stated that Kohli's actions seemed to deliberately provoke a confrontation, adding that there was little doubt that Kohli had instigated the clash.

Meanwhile, Konstas’ batting had posed a significant challenge to India. The young Australian opener, who had partnered Khawaja at the top of the order, had made a strong impression with his T20-style batting. Scoring 60 runs off 65 balls, Konstas was eventually dismissed by Ravindra Jadeja. His knock had already created some tension, but the on-field incident only added fuel to the fire.