Sydney, Jan 5: India's Virat Kohli has been fined 50 percent of his match fee for making an obscene gesture to fans on day two of the second test against Australia.
Kohli reacted to jeers and taunts from a section of the Sydney Cricket Ground crowd by raising a middle finger during a long day in the field for India as the Australian batsmen added 366 runs for the loss of just one wicket.
In a hearing before play Thursday, Kohli admitted making the gesture and match referee Ranjan Madugalle found him guilty of a level two offence of the International Cricket Council's code of conduct.
Indian team media manager G.S. Walia said Kohli had been informed of the charge on Thursday morning and pleaded guilty to making the gesture.
"The matter has been sorted out ... the player felt guilty and sorry and the matter has been closed," Walia told reporters.
"When he went to the match referee, he said sorry and that out of emotions I must have done it."
Walia refused to discuss allegations by Kohli he was abused by sections of the SCG crowd, prompting the gesture.
He insisted the matter was closed making it unlikely the Indians will lodge a complaint with the SCG Trust over any alleged misbehaviour by the crowd.
Last evening, Kohli commented on his Twitter account: "i agree cricketers dont have to retaliate. what when the crowd says the worst things about your mother and sister. the worst ive heard".
He found an ally in England batsman and Bangalore Royal Challengers teammate Kevin Pietersen who replied: "ha ha ha ha ha!!! Welcome to Australia buddy!!"
Pietersen then tweeted: "never heard crap like that. EVER" and "that's the way it is mate.. Beat them & they start abusing their own!!"
This morning Kohli tweeted: "New day new beginning! :)".
In the previous test between the two countries at the SCG in 2008, Indian spinner Harbhajhan Singh was fined for abusing Australian allrounder Andrew Symonds.
