India vs South Africa: Kohli handed warning, demerit point for shoulder contact with pacer Hendricks

India captain Virat Kohli on Monday received an official warning from the International Cricket Council and one demerit point for inappropriate shoulder contact with South Africa pacer Beuran Hendricks during third T20I against South Africa in Bengaluru.

Kohli was found guilty of a Level 1 breach of the ICC Code of Conduct, the governing body said in a release. He was found to have breached 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.”

In addition to this, one demerit point has been added to the disciplinary record of Kohli, for whom it was the third offence since the introduction of the revised Code in September 2016.

Kohli now has three demerit points after having got one demerit point each during the Pretoria Test against South Africa on 15 January 2018 and against Afghanistan in the Men’s Cricket World Cup 2019 on 22 June.

Sunday’s incident occurred in the fifth over of India’s innings, when Kohli made contact with bowler Hendricks while taking a run, according to the release.

Kohli admitted the offence and accepted the sanction proposed by match referee Richie Richardson, and as such, there was no need for a formal hearing. On-field umpires Nitin Menon and CK Nandan, third umpire Anil Chaudhary and fourth official C Shamshuddin levelled the charge.

Level 1 breaches carry a minimum penalty of an official reprimand, a maximum penalty of 50 per cent of a player’s match fee, and one or two demerit points. When a player reaches four or more demerit points within a 24-month period, they are converted into suspension points and a player is banned while two suspension points equate to a ban from one Test or two ODIs or two T20Is, whatever comes first for the player.

Demerit Points will remain on a player’s disciplinary record for a period of twenty-four (24) months from their imposition following which they will be expunged.