Leeds, June 24 — Indian wicketkeeper-batsman Rishabh Pant has been officially reprimanded by the International Cricket Council (ICC) for breaching Level 1 of the ICC Code of Conduct during the ongoing first Test match between India and England at Headingley. The ICC announced the disciplinary action on Tuesday.
Pant, who impressed with centuries in both innings of the match — scoring 134 in the first and 118 in the second — found himself in trouble on Day 3 of the Test during England's first innings. The incident occurred in the 61st over when the on-field umpires declined to replace the ball after examining it for damage. Frustrated by the decision, Pant reacted by slamming the ball onto the ground in front of the umpire.
The ICC found Pant guilty of violating Article 2.8 of its Code of Conduct, which relates to "showing dissent at an umpire's decision during an international match." As a result, Pant received an official reprimand along with one demerit point being added to his disciplinary record. This was his first offence in the last 24 months, hence no formal hearing was required.
The charges were levelled by on-field umpires Chris Gaffaney and Paul Reiffel, third umpire Sharfuddoula Ibne Shahid, and fourth umpire Mike Burns. Pant accepted the charge and the sanction.
Under ICC rules, Level 1 breaches carry a minimum penalty of an official reprimand and a maximum of a 50% match fee fine and up to two demerit points.
Meanwhile, the Test match remains finely poised. England need 350 runs to win on the final day with all 10 wickets intact. India will be banking on pacer Jasprit Bumrah, who took a five-wicket haul in the first innings, to deliver a match-winning performance.
