IND vs AUS, 1st Test: Ravindra Jadeja found guilty of breaching ICC code of conduct, fined

India all-rounder Ravindra Jadeja has been fined 25 percent of the match fees for breaching Level 1 of the ICC code of conduct in the first Test against Australia in Nagpur. The southpaw breached Article 2.20 of the ICC code of conduct for players and player support personnel, which pertains to displaying conduct contrary to the game's spirit. Jadeja also got one demerit point added to his disciplinary record for his first offence in 24 months. ICC also fined Jadeja for applying soothing cream on his index finger during Australia's 1st innings on day one of the Test without taking permission from the on-field umpires.

The cricket's governing body didn't conduct a formal hearingas Jadeja accepted the offence and the fines imposed by match referee Andy Pycroft. On-field umpires Nitin Menon, Richard Ilingworth, third-umpire Michael Gough and forth-umpire KN Ananthapadmanabhan brought the charges forward against the India all-rounder.

The incident which occurred during the 46th over of the visitor's first innings on February 9, where in a video footage, Jadeja was seen taking a cream of fast bowler Mohammed Siraj's palm and applied on the index finger of his bowling arm. The Indian team management explained the incident and had said the cream was used for medical purpose for swelling on Jadeja's bowling arm finger.

Match referee Pycroft, while announcing the decision, was satisfied with the Indian management's explanation and charged Jadeja with Level 1 offence, which carries minimal penalty for the breach -that is one or two demerit points and maximum 50 percent of match fee deduction.

Earlier, India drubbed Australia by an innings and 132 runs in the Nagpur test and took 1-0 lead in the four-match Border-Gavaskar series. Jadeja was declared Man of the Match for his match haul of 7/81 including a five-for in the first innings along with 70 runs with the bat in India's only innings.

Starting day 3 at 321/7, India added 79 runs more with spinner Axar Patel scoring 84 runs. Australia then folded for a miserly 91 in the second innings with off-spinner Ravi Ashwin taking a five-wicket haul. Apart from Ashwin, Jadeja and Mohammed Shami took two wickets apiece and Axar Patel chipped with one. The next test of the series starts from February 17 in Delhi.

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