As per the cricket rule book, when a player reaches four or more demerit points within a 24-month period, the player is suspended. It means if Kohli receives another demerit point before January 16 next year – two years from the Centurion Test – he will be suspended for a limited number of games.

Indian skipper Virat Kohli has reached a dicey situation after receiving an official warning and a demerit point for breaching the ICC Code of Conduct in the third T20 match against South Africa on Sunday, and is just one demerit point away from getting a ban. On Sunday, Kohli made inappropriate shoulder contact with pacer Beuran Hendricks in the fifth over of the Indian innings while taking a run.

Kohli was found guilty of a Level 1 breach of the ICC Code of Conduct during Sunday’s third T20I against South Africa in Bengaluru.

In a statement, the ICC said: “Kohli 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.”

The Indian skipper’s tally of demerit points has increased to three after getting one demerit point during the Pretoria Test against South Africa in 2018 and another against Afghanistan in the World Cup 2019.

India will now play three Test matches against South Africa. Later, India will host Bangladesh for three T20Is and two Tests in November, and then play bilateral series against West Indies, Zimbabwe, Australia and New Zealand.

As per the rule book, when a player notches up four or more demerit points within a 24-month period, the player is suspended. This means if Kohli receives another demerit point before January 16, 2020 – two years from the Centurion Test – he will be suspended.