Virat Kohli shamed in Mohammed Siraj-Ben Duckett drama by England legend: “That’s a No-No”

Former England captain Michael Atherton has shared his take on the controversy surrounding Mohammed Siraj’s fine for his animated send-off to Ben Duckett on Day 4 of the ongoing third Test between India and England at the iconic Lord’s Cricket Ground in London.

The ICC slapped Mohammed Siraj with a 15% fine of his match fee and a demerit point, but Atherton believes that the incident has been blown out of proportion. Even the English commentator has compared the Siraj-Duckett moment to a past episode involving Virat Kohli and Sam Konstas.

Atherton mentioned how Virat Kohli and Sam Konstas had crossed the line through physical contact, but the shoulder touch at Lord’s appeared accidental while defending the Indian fast bowler. Even the former England captain said that Mohammed Siraj actually made an effort to avoid any confrontation with Duckett.

SHORTS

View More

Your daily dose of cricket!

Loading...

Michael Atherton defends Mohammed Siraj, calls shoulder brush with Ben Duckett ‘Accidental’

Michael Atherton was quoted as saying by Sky Sports: “There is a line, and no one wants to see physical altercations. So, when Virat Kohli diverted his path to give young Sam Konstas a shoulder charge this winter, that was a no-no. That should be stamped on.”

Read Also: Watch: Dhruv Jurel ignored by Indian teammates after missed chances at Lord's

However, the well-known broadcaster has welcomed the match referee’s call to ignore the minor shoulder brush and instead only penalize Siraj for his intense in-your-face celebration. He felt the punishment handed out to Siraj was minor, and so people should not make a drama over it.

Atherton added, “Yesterday, the little shoulder touch was entirely accidental. Siraj tried to get out of the way. Duckett just touched him as he walked off. The match referee has not taken any action on that shoulder barge, rightly, and just said Siraj was in Duckett's face. To me, that's something and nothing—15 percent of his match fee and one demerit point. Let's move on.”

Mohammed Siraj fined for fiery send-off to Ben Duckett at Lord’s

Actually, Mohammed Siraj has been fined 15% of his match fee for a fiery send-off to Ben Duckett at Lord’s. The incident happened in the sixth over on Day 4 when Siraj dismissed Duckett and celebrated right in front of him, leading to an intense moment between the two.

Siraj and Duckett made shoulder contact as the Indian fast bowler gave an aggressive send-off, which the ICC deemed as a breach of its Code of Conduct. The ICC stated that Siraj violated Article 2.5, which deals with actions or gestures that could provoke an aggressive response from a dismissed batter. In addition to the fine, Siraj also received one demerit point.

This is his second demerit point for India’s fiery paceman Mohammed Siraj in less than a year, having first received one in December 2024 after an on-field exchange with Australia's Travis Head. If a player collects four or more demerit points in a 24-month span, those points convert into suspension points, which can lead to a ban from matches.

Read Also: Watch: Jofra Archer sends Rishabh Pant’s stump cartwheeling, celebrates with vicious send-off

Controversial moment between Virat Kohli and Sam Konstas

Meanwhile, one of the most talked-about moments from the Border-Gavaskar Trophy 2024-25 was a heated clash between Virat Kohli and young Australian batter Sam Konstas. The incident took place at the MCG during Australia's innings when the two players crossed paths on the field.

As Kohli and Konstas walked past each other, their shoulders brushed, sparking tension. Both players immediately turned around and had a heated exchange. Things escalated until senior Usman Khawaja stepped in to calm the situation and separate the two.