Virat Kohli’s run-in with debutant Sam Konstas on a heated opening morning of the Boxing Day Test is certain to come under the International Cricket Council’s microscope as Test legend Ricky Ponting insisted Kohli was at fault.

Ponting said Kohli was the one who instigated contact with Konstas between overs in the first session of the fourth NRMA Insurance Test in scenes more likely to be seen in an Australian Rules football game.

The pair walked into each other before exchanging tense words. Konstas’ opening partner Usman Khawaja attempted to calm tensions, putting his arm around Kohli, before umpire Michael Gough then also played peacemaker.

Neither Konstas nor Kohli took a backward step during the incident.

“Virat walked one whole pitch over to his right and instigated that confrontation,” Ponting said on Channel Seven. “No doubt in my mind whatsoever.

“I have no doubt that the umpires and the referee will have a good look at that. Fielders should be nowhere near the batsman at that stage. Every fieldsman on the ground knows where the batsmen will congregate and get together.

“It looked to me that Konstas looked up really late, wouldn’t even know anyone is in front of him. That man on-screen there (Kohli) might have a few questions to answer.”

Match referee Andy Pycroft is certain to look at the incident.

The ICC’s Code of Conduct states that “any form of inappropriate physical contact is prohibited in cricket. Without limitation, players will breach this regulation if they deliberately, recklessly and/or negligently walk or run into or shoulder another player or umpire”.

If Pycroft deems the Konstas-Kohli contact to be a Level Two offence against either player, that player would receive three or four demerit points.

Four points would be enough to trigger a suspension for the New Year’s Test in Sydney. A Level One offence would only result in a slap on the wrist, likely a match fee fine.

Kagiso Rabada initially received three demerit points for making contact with Steve Smith during the highly-charged 2018 South Africa-Australia Test series, though later had his penalty overturned on appeal.

Kohli’s bump on Konstas was undoubtedly heavier contact than the Rabada-Smith contact.

“Whatever happens on the field stays on the field,” was all Konstas said about the incident when speaking to Fox Cricket at a drinks break.

Konstas has previously suggested he looks up to Kohli, naming him after his maiden Sheffield Shield century in October as one of three people he would have dreamt of receiving a congratulations text from.

Australia women’s captain Alyssa Healy, who is also Test quick Mitchell Starc’s wife, called Kohli out for what she viewed as the star batter targeting the youngest member of the Australian team.

“I think it’s more disappointing than anything else that your experienced player, one of your best players in the country, has quite visibly made a beeline for the youngest player in the opposition,” Healy told Fox.

“It doesn’t really set the greatest of tone for your side but if that’s the way the Indian team want to approach it then so be it, but it didn’t rattle Kontas one bit.”

Both Ponting and ex-Test umpire Simon Taufel said both Konstas and Kohli would likely get off without a suspension.

“We don’t want to see any physical contact during the game. It tends to get out-of-control,” said Taufel.

“A lot of adrenaline flowing. Sam Konstas holding his ground. Virat Kohli did the same thing. It’s something out of nothing. We don’t want to see it continue.

“It’s something they’ll have a look at during maybe a lunch break or even at the end of the day’s play.

“I tend to think they’ll let that one go. That’s my view at this stage. Let the players say what they want to say. Get a few things off their chest. At times if it goes further, they’ll probably let that one slide.”

NRMA Insurance Men’s Test Series v India

First Test: India won by 295 runs

Second Test: Australia won by 10 wickets

Third Test: Match drawn

Fourth Test: December 26-30: MCG, Melbourne, 10.30am AEDT

Fifth Test: January 3-7: SCG, Sydney, 10.30am AEDT

Australia squad: Pat Cummins (c), Sean Abbott, Scott Boland, Alex Carey, Travis Head (vc), Josh Inglis, Usman Khawaja, Sam Konstas, Marnus Labuschagne, Nathan Lyon, Mitchell Marsh, Jhye Richardson, Steve Smith (vc), Mitchell Starc, Beau Webster

India squad: Rohit Sharma (c), Jasprit Bumrah (vc), Yashasvi Jaiswal, KL Rahul, Abhimanyu Easwaran, Devdutt Padikkal, Shubman Gill, Virat Kohli, Rishabh Pant, Sarfaraz Khan, Dhruv Jurel, Ravichandran Ashwin, Ravindra Jadeja, Mohammed Siraj, Akash Deep, Prasidh Krishna, Harshit Rana, Nitish Kumar Reddy, Washington Sundar. Reserves: Mukesh Kumar, Navdeep Saini, Khaleel Ahmed, Yash Dayal