LIVE Boxing Day Test: Konstas 'throwing a little bit of chat'; Cummins ...

It’s fast approaching 5pm AEST in Melbourne, so play is bound to go on for at least another hour. What a day of cricket. It certainly hasn’t had the intensity of Boxing Day, but it hasn’t been without highlights, too.

India 2-113. 32 overs. Jaiswal 61*, Kohli 22*

Virat Kohli was never in danger of missing a Test match for his shoulder bump on Sam Konstas because of a secret change to cricket’s disciplinary code after the Newlands scandal.

Match referee Andy Pycroft – coincidentally the same match referee who presided over the fateful Cape Town Test in 2018 – charged Kohli with a level-one offence for “inappropriate physical contact”, the most lenient grade of the International Cricket Council’s code of conduct and only punishable by a reprimand or a fine.

Virat Kohli (left) was fined 20 per cent of his match fee and given a demerit point for making physical contact with Australian debutant Sam Konstas.Credit: Getty Images

That option was only available to him because the code was subject to a raft of changes in the months after Newlands. At the time, the most-publicised tweaks were to impose heavier penalties for ball tampering, but the introduction of a lesser charge for physical contact took place without any fanfare. Previously, physical contact was an automatic level-two offence, which can be penalised with a ban.

Kohli, who Forbes magazine estimated in 2020 as earning $41.8 million, was docked 20 per cent of his match fee – about $5671 - and given one demerit point, the same penalty as that handed out to teammate Mohammed Siraj in Adelaide for giving Travis Head a verbal send-off.

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Sam Konstas gets busy in the field.Credit: Getty Images

Sam Konstas: Australia’s new cult figure.Credit: Getty Images

Pat Cummins turns to Nathan Lyon. The offie bowls his first over of the Test just before drinks.

There’s an excellent buzz going around the stands as Australia look to strike again. Boland is well into his overs now and still looks dangerous. Jaiswal, however, has been stoic and is pushing towards another strong score.

India 2-78. 23 overs. Jaiswal 38*, Kohli 11*

A quick peek with the binoculars out onto the MCG and you can see Sam Konstas (fielding just in front of square leg) throwing a little bit of chat in Virat Kohli’s direction. It’s probably just encouragement for the Aussies as they search for their third wicket. It’s interesting to note, though, given their exchange yesterday. How alpha would it be for Konstas to properly sledge Kohli? The Indian superstar is getting huge cheers for every single he hits.

India’s innings is 20 overs down. The tourists have already lost two wickets and will be desperate to stabilise their innings and eat into Australia’s total by stumps. But the momentum is hugely in Australia’s favour. They have runs on the board and opposition batters already in the sheds. The Border-Gavaskar series is being decided right in front of our eyes.

India 2-65. 20 overs. Jaiswal 33*, Kohli 4*

There’s temptation, and then there’s what Pat Cummins is offering Virat Kohli. He’s got three slips and two gullies for the Indian superstar, and left a massive hole between gully to mid-off for Kohli to play an expansive drive. The gap is about the width of the centre square when the MCG is configured for AFL. Kohli has been caught behind the wicket four times this series, and Australia want to make that number five here.