Here's how Virat Kohli might face suspension from the ICC

Virat Kohli’s approach on the cricket field has got him into trouble in quite a few instances. The Indian skipper was recently slapped with an official warning and one demerit point during the third T20 International versus South Africa at the M Chinnaswamy Stadium in Bangalore. The Delhi-born cricketer was found guilty of breaching the Level 1 of the ICC Code of Conduct.

In the fifth over of the Indian innings, Virat made contact with Beuran Hendricks while taking a run. Nitin Menon and CK Nandan, the on-field umpires, third umpire Anil Chaudhary and fourth official Chettihody Shamshuddin levelled the charge. There was no need for a formal hearing since Kohli admitted the offence and accepted the sanction proposed by match referee Richie Richardson.

Tricky four months for Virat Kohli

Kohli now has to be a tad careful as another charge against him until January 2020 could see him face suspension from the International Cricket Council (ICC). He has three demerit points, the first of which came in the Pretoria Test versus South Africa in January 2018. The second one came against Afghanistan in the 2019 edition of the World Cup at the Rose Bowl in Southampton.

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. Two suspension means a ban from one Test or two ODIs or two T20Is, depending on whatever comes first for the player. The revised code of conduct was introduced back in September 2016 and Virat has to be cautious in the next four months.

The Code of Conduct has four different level of offences, each of which has a certain number of demerit points attached to it. Once a player is given demerit points, it stays on their records for the next 24 months. Instead of four, if a player gets eight demerit points, then the ban doubles i.e. a suspension from two Tests or four ODIs or T20Is, whichever comes early for the player.

As far as Virat is concerned, he is next scheduled to play the three-match Test series versus the Proteas, starting October 2 in Visakhapatnam. Then, the 30-year-old is likely to play the T20I and Test series against Bangladesh in November. There are also two home series against Zimbabwe and Australia in January.

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