Hyderabad: India’s fast-bowling spearhead Jasprit Bumrah has been handed an official reprimand for breaching Level 1 of the ICC Code of Conduct during the first match of the Test series against England, which ended in a 28-run loss for the hosts’ at the Rajiv Gandhi International Stadium on Sunday.
The International Cricket Council (ICC) said Bumrah 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.”
It also added that one demerit point has been added to Bumrah’s disciplinary record, for whom it was the first offence in a 24-month period. The incident occurred in the 81st over of England’s second innings, when Bumrah, after completing his follow through, deliberately stepped in Ollie Pope’s way as the batter went for a run, leading to inappropriate physical contact.
Bumrah, who had figures of 2/28 and 4/41 in the Hyderabad Test, admitted to the offence and accepted the sanction proposed by Richie Richardson of the Emirates ICC Elite Panel of Match Referees, so there was no need for a formal hearing. On-field umpires Paul Reiffel and Chris Gaffaney, third umpire Marais Erasmus and fourth umpire Rohan Pandit levelled the charge.
Level 1 breaches carry a minimum penalty of an official reprimand, a maximum penalty of 50 per cent of a player’s match fee, and one or two demerit points. Demerit Points to remain on a Player or Player Support Personnel’s disciplinary record for a period of twenty-four (24) months from their imposition following which they will be expunged.
The 28-run loss to England in the Test series opener, also their second defeat in the ongoing 2023-2025 World Test Championship cycle, has meant India dropped three spots to fifth place in the current standing.
India, the two-time WTC runners-up, have now seen their points percentage drop from 54.16 to 43.33. Moreover, they are now behind South Africa, New Zealand and Bangladesh in the WTC points table.
So far, India have played five matches in this WTC cycle – winning twice, losing twice and drawing once. Their next match against England will be at the Dr Y.S. Rajasekhara Reddy ACA-VDCA Cricket Stadium in Visakhapatnam on February 2.
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