ICC Match Referee takes action over Ravindra Jadeja applying soothing cream on finger during 1st Test

Team India’s star all-rounder Ravindra Jadeja played a crucial role in the first test against Australia in Nagpur as the Men in Blue defeated the Australian side by an innings and 132 runs.

However, Ravindra Jadeja has been fined 25 percent of his match fee for applying cream on the swollen index finger without taking permission from the on-field umpires.

ICC finds Ravindra Jadeja guilty of breaching the code of conduct

Jadeja bowled a superb spell on the first day of the first test in Nagpur but a video got circulated on media in which the Indian all-rounder was seen receiving something from pacer Mohammed Siraj and rubbing it on his left index finger.

Later it was clarified by the Indian team management that Jadeja was applying a pain-relief ointment on his finger. The video got the attention of the Australian media and some of the former Australian players as it created some sort of a controversy.

Ravindra Jadeja didn’t inform about the ointment to on-field umpires Nitin Menon and Richard Illingworth and hence was found guilty of breaching Article 2.20 of ICC’s code of conduct. The Indian all-rounder was fined 25% of match fees (3.75 lakh) and one demerit point has been added to Jadeja’s disciplinary record.

“India spin bowler Ravindra Jadeja has been fined 25 percent of his match fee for breaching Level 1 of the ICC Code of Conduct during the first Test against Australia in Nagpur on Thursday. In addition to this, one demerit point has been added to Jadeja’s disciplinary record, for whom it was the first offence in a 24-month period,” ICC said in it’s official statement.

As per the reports, there was no formal hearing on Jadeja’s act as he accepted the sanction proposed by match referee Andy Pycroft.

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Jadeja grabbed a fifer in the first innings which included crucial wickets of Steve Smith and Marnus Labuschagne. The all-rounder then played an important knock of 70 runs and scalped a couple of wickets in Australia’s second innings as well. Ravindra Jadeja was awarded with the Player of the Match award for hi all-round contribution.