Melbourne, Dec 26 (PTI) Star Indian batter Virat Kohli and Australian youngster Sam Konstas were on Thursday involved in a physical altercation as tempers flared on the first day of the fourth Test here but the 19-year-old home debutant played it down.
The brief showdown took place after the completion of the 10th over of the Australian innings when the players were crossing over. Kohli and Konstas bumped shoulders while moving across the pitch.
Both players quickly turned around to glance at each other and engage in a heated exchange of words with Konstas' teammate Usman Khawaja stepping in to separate them. The on-field umpires also had a word with the two.
"I think the emotions got to both of us," Konstas later told 'Channel 7'.
"I didn't quite realise, I was doing my gloves, then a little shoulder charge, but it happens in cricket," he added.
Konstas, who was batting on 27 at the time, went on to hit Jasprit Bumrah for two boundaries and a six in the next over.
The 19-year-old scored a stunning fifty on debut before Ravindra Jadeja trapped him leg before wicket.
Konstas might have dismissed it as routine but former Australian skipper Ricky Ponting blamed Kohli for instigating the exchange.
"Have a look where Virat walks. Virat's walked one whole pitch over to his right and instigated that confrontation. No doubt in my mind whatsoever," Ponting said on Channel 7 while watching the replay of the incident.