Indian wicket-keeper batter Rishabh Pant has been officially reprimanded by the International Cricket Council (ICC) for showing dissent during the first Test against England at Headingley.
Pant, who delivered a historic performance with centuries in both innings, was pulled up for his reaction to an umpiring decision on the third day of the match.
The ICC stated, “Pant was found to have breached Article 2.8 of the ICC Code of Conduct for Players and Player Support Personnel, which relates to showing dissent at an Umpire’s decision during an International Match.”
This breach falls under Level 1 of the ICC’s Code of Conduct, the least severe category of violations.
Incident and Reaction on the Field
The incident occurred in the 61st over of England’s first innings when batters Harry Brook and Ben Stokes were at the crease. During this time, Pant questioned the condition of the ball and asked the umpires for a replacement. However, the match officials declined his request after checking the ball with a gauge.
Following their decision, Rishabh Pant showed visible dissatisfaction by throwing the ball on the ground near the umpires, which was considered an act of dissent. Despite the seriousness of the act, Pant avoided a fine because it was his first offence in the last 24 months. However, one demerit point was added to his disciplinary record as part of the penalty.
ICC’s Response and Sanction
Pant did not request a disciplinary hearing and accepted the punishment suggested by ICC match referee Richie Richardson. The match officials involved in filing the complaint were on-field umpires Chris Gaffaney and Paul Reiffel, along with third umpire Sharfuddoula Ibne Shahid and fourth umpire Mike Burns.
Since it was classified as a Level 1 breach, the punishment included a formal reprimand but did not exceed a fine of up to 50 per cent of Pant’s match fee. Level 1 offences generally involve minor misconduct and are resolved without a hearing if the player admits guilt, as Pant did. This incident has slightly dented Pant’s otherwise flawless disciplinary record but is not expected to affect his participation in the series.
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