India faced the deduction of two vital ICC World Test Championship (WTC) points and a 10% match fee fine due to a sluggish over-rate in the Boxing Day Test against South Africa in Centurion, concluding on December 28. This penalty was incurred following India’s defeat in the series opener.
India suffered an innings and 32-run defeat against South Africa in the first Test of the two-match series at SuperSport Park in Centurion. After trailing by 163 runs in the first innings, India collapsed to 131 all out in 34.1 overs during their second innings.
Chris Broad from the Emirates ICC Elite Panel of Match Referees applied the penalty, finding Team India two overs short of the required over-rate during the Boxing Day Test against South Africa.
“As per Article 2.22 of the ICC Code of Conduct for Players and Player Support Personnel, which relates to minimum over-rate offences, the players are fined 5% of their match fee for every over their side fails to bowl in the allotted time.”
After the Centurion Test loss, India, initially in the fifth position in the WTC 2023-25 points table with 16 points from three Tests and a points percentage of 44.44, have now dropped to No.6 due to the deduction of points for the slow-over rate. They now have 14 points and a points percentage of 38.89.
Rohit Sharma expresses confidence in India’s ability to bounce back in the 2nd Test
Despite the setback in Centurion, Rohit Sharma remains optimistic about India’s resurgence in the upcoming New Year Test in Cape Town. He said:
“It’s not always going to be happy days for the captain. On days like these, the captain needs to stand up and get around the team more than anything else… We can learn from what went wrong.”
“But when you take the job, you will have days like this. I have full confidence in the guys we have here now. But now it’s about getting together and standing for each other.”
After being put in to bat following the toss, India posted a modest total of 245 in their first innings, with KL Rahul’s impressive century preventing a more dire outcome. In reply, South Africa amassed 408 runs, with Dean Elgar, set to retire after the series, playing a stellar innings and scoring 185.
David Bedingham, scoring 56, and Marco Jansen, contributing 84, played significant roles for South Africa. In India’s second innings, Virat Kohli stood out with a score of 76, but debutant Nandre Burger (4/33) and Jansen (3/36) wreaked havoc, dismantling the Indian batting lineup.
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