Virat Kohli, a cricket legend and former Indian captain, certainly knows how to stir up controversy, even when he’s off the field. Recently, Australian cricket writer Ben Horne drew parallels between Kohli’s on-field conduct and the current debate surrounding the bowling technique of Matthew Kuhnemann, stirring an old pot of controversy.
Ben Horne Weighs In on Virat Kohli’s Incident with Sam Konstas
The Australian media is abuzz once again with Kohli’s name, long after the dust had settled on the Border-Gavaskar Test series. This time, it’s Kuhnemann’s bowling action that’s being scrutinized, but it’s also brought Kohli back into the conversation. Horne, an outspoken critic, questioned the International Cricket Council’s (ICC) fairness by harking back to an incident where Kohli barged shoulders with Sam Konstas, a moment that seemingly slipped through the ICC’s disciplinary nets. He suggested that Kohli’s mild penalty at the time seemed incongruous with the stricter measures now being applied elsewhere in the cricketing world.
Horne shared his thoughts in the Daily Telegraph, criticizing what he sees as inconsistency: “Virat Kohli escaped with a mere slap on the wrist, yet officials in Sri Lanka took a hardline approach with Kuhnemann over a debatable bowling action. These incidents aren’t even comparable, except for how they highlight the ICC’s tendency to be a ‘toothless tiger’ until an easy target like Kuhnemann comes along.”
In the past, during the esteemed Boxing Day Test against Australia, Kohli’s shoulder barge on newcomer Konstas ended with a modest fine—20% of his match fee—and a single demerit point. This was deemed a Level 1 breach of ICC conduct rules, which frown upon unnecessary physical contact on the field. Without contesting, Kohli accepted his penalty, thus avoiding further disciplinary hearings.
The Matthew Kuhnemann Bowling Action Controversy
After a standout performance in a Test series against Sri Lanka, where he took down 16 wickets with surgical precision, Kuhnemann’s bowling action came under fire, flagged for potentially illegal ‘chucking’. With an average of just 17.18, his bowling prowess had been key in Australia’s clean sweep. However, the legitimacy of his action now hangs in balance, pending rigorous testing against ICC standards, which permit no more than 15 degrees of elbow straightening during delivery.
The testing will occur at Brisbane’s National Cricket Centre, a slight deviation from the usual ICC practice of overseas assessments. Under the eagle eyes of ICC experts, Kuhnemann will recreate his match-day form, complete with artificial aids to ensure nothing goes unnoticed. This scrutiny aims to determine if his arm’s extension surpasses the 15-degree benchmark, a limit that makes the difference between a legal and illegal delivery.
All this controversy brings to light the ongoing debate over how the ICC applies its rules and whether it treats all players with equal scrutiny. As the cricketing world watches, it remains to be seen how these unfolding events will impact not just Kuhnemann’s career but also the broader conversation about fairness and enforcement in the sport.
