Jadeja was accused of applying an ‘interesting substance’ on his bowling finger during his bowling spell on Day 1. 
Jadeja was accused of applying an ‘interesting substance’ on his bowling finger during his bowling spell on Day 1. The International Cricket Council on Saturday imposed a fine on all-rounder Ravindra Jadeja for applying cream on his finger while bowling during the first test of the Border-Gavaskar series against Australia at the Vidarbha Cricket Association Stadium in Nagpur.
As per ICC, Jadeja was charged with breaching Level 1 of the ICC Code of Conduct. The cricket body will deduct 25 per cent of Jadeja’s match fee and 1 demerit point as he didn’t take permission from the on-field umpires before applying the cream on his finger.
The incident took place during the Day 1 of the first Test match when Jadeja was seen applying a substance onto the index finger of his left hand, which was given to him by Mohammed Siraj's palm.
Though the Australian team and media accused Jadeja of ball tampering, ICC in its official statement stated that the cream was used for completely medical reasons. “Ravindra Jadeja was found to have breached Article 2.20 of the ICC Code of Conduct for Players and Player Support Personnel, which relates to displaying conduct that is contrary to the spirit of the game,” the ICC said on its official website.
"India team management had explained that the finger spinner was applying the cream to a swelling on the index finger of his bowling hand. This was done without asking for permission from the on-field umpires," the statement added.
Jadeja stirred a heated debate on Thursday after securing a five-wicket haul on Day 1 of the Border Gavaskar Test series. Jadeja, who is making a comeback after a knee injury, dismissed Australia’s Marnus Labuschagne, Matt Renshaw, Steve Smith, Todd Murphy, and Peter Handscomb and put Australia on the backfoot in the first innings of the first test in Nagpur.
But the 34-year-old cricketer was accused by Australian media to have used a substance on the ball to tamper it while he was enjoying a magnificent spell.
Jadeja was accused of applying an ‘interesting substance’ on his bowling finger during day’s play during his bowling spell. The claim was further fuelled by former Australian skipper Tim Paine and England’s Michael Vaughan. A video got viral on social media, which showed Jadeja receiving something from his teammate Mohammed Siraj and then applying and rubbing that on his left index finger.
After the end of Day 1, match referee Pycroft brought the issue to the notice of Team India captain Rohit Sharma and Ravindra Jadeja. Team India cleared the air that Jadeja used pain relief on his sore thumb.
ICC, in its statement issued on Saturday, said: “In reaching his decision to sanction the player along with the Level 1 sanction he imposed, the Match Referee was satisfied that the cream was applied to the finger purely for medical purposes. The cream was not applied as an artificial substance to the ball and consequently, it did not change the condition of the ball, which would have been in breach of clause 41.3 of the ICC playing conditions – Unfair Play – The Match Ball – Changing its Condition,” the website further stated.
On the match front, India bowled out Australia by an innings and 132 runs in the first Test of the four-match series in Nagpur. Ravichandran Ashwin claimed five wickets, Ravindra Jadeja and Mohammed Shami took two wickets each. Australia lost by 91 runs in the second innings.
Copyright©2023 Living Media India Limited. For reprint rights: Syndications Today
