Nearly a year after the shoulder-barge incident between Virat Kohli and Australia’s opener Sam Konstas at the Melbourne Cricket Ground during the 2024 Boxing Day Test. The episode, which had sparked widespread
debate, but Oliver Peake, Konstas’s close friend and Australia’s 12th man that day, has finally disclosed what exactly was said between the two during the heated exchange.
The incident occurred during what turned out to be Kohli’s final Test series for India. Meanwhile, Australia brought in 19-year-old Sam Konstas, who immediately stunned India with his debut innings. His confidence and bold shot selection disturbed the Indian attack and eventually led to the confrontation with Kohli.
Konstas had reverse-swept Jasprit Bumrah and was racing to a fifty that rattled the Indian bowlers. However, Kohli tried to unsettle the teenager with a shoulder charge during a change of ends. The barge led to words being exchanged, and the umpire, along with Usman Khawaja, had to intervene to keep the situation under control. Konstas himself later brushed off the incident. However, Peake revealed the exact words Konstas fired back at Kohli.
"I remember running him gloves, and him and Uzie out there was pretty cool. Uzie was a bit taken aback by the way he was going about it. He just looked so in the zone and so confident that he was looking fine out there. It was great to watch as a fan and also as a mate. When Kohli shoulder-charged him, Sam said, 'I know you're a good player, but have some respect," Peake said on The Grade Cricketer Podcast.
The ICC eventually fined Kohli 20% of his match fee
The confrontation became a major talking point of the series, with the ICC eventually fining Kohli 20% of his match fee for physical contact. Many critics felt the punishment was too lenient, considering the nature of the incident.
This was not the only drama involving Konstas during the series. In the next Test at the SCG, he found himself in a verbal exchange with Jasprit Bumrah. Konstas’s comments before the final ball of the day frustrated Bumrah, who replied by bowling Usman Khawaja with the very next delivery.
Despite his solid debut innings of 60 off 65 balls at the MCG, Konstas could not maintain his form. A string of low scores followed against India and later the West Indies, eventually led to him being left out of Australia’s squad for the first Ashes Test of 2025-26.
