India vs South Africa 2019: Virat Kohli Receives an Official Warning and a Demerit Point

For his actions in the third T20 International against South Africa that took place on Sunday, Indian captain Virat Kohli has received an official warning and a demerit point after being found guilty of a Level 1 breach of the ICC Code of Conduct.

While taking a run in his innings of nine runs, Kohli made physical contact into South African bowler Beuran Hendricks, which seemed intentional. This as ruled by the match referee, saw? Kohli breach Article 2.12 of the?ICC Code of Conduct for Players and Player Support Personnel, which relates to ?Inappropriate physical contact with a Player, Player Support Personnel, Umpire, Match Referee or any other person (including a spectator) during an International Match.?

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According to ICC’s regulations, when a player reaches four or more demerit points within a 24-month period, they are converted into suspension points and the player is banned. Two suspension points equate to a ban from one Test or two ODIs or two T20Is, whatever comes first for the player.

Since January 2018, this is Kohli’s third demerit point, having got one one during the Test match against South Africa in Pretoria on 15 January 2018 and one against Afghanistan in the ICC Men?s Cricket World Cup 2019 earlier this year.

Kohli needs to be careful if he has to avoid sitting in the dug out, with India yet to play three Test matches against South Africa in the ongoing tour after which India play Bagladesh and West Indies this year.

The upcoming matches hold its significance to more than just the bilateral series as it is a part of the ICC World Test Championship. India, who have currently completed a series as a part of the Test Championship, have took the maximum possible 120 points from the series, which concluded recently in West Indies. Owing to that, India currently sit on top of the Test Championship table.