Rishabh Pant reprimanded by ICC: What happened at Headingley?

Rishabh Pant reprimanded by ICC: Indian wicketkeeper-batter Rishabh Pant has faced official disciplinary action from the International Cricket Council (ICC) for a breach of conduct during the third day of the ongoing first Test against England at Headingley. The incident, which led to a formal reprimand, involved Pant demonstrating dissent towards an umpire’s decision.

The specific event unfolded during the 61st over of England’s first innings. With Harry Brook and Ben Stokes at the crease, a discussion arose regarding the condition of the ball. On-field umpires Paul Reiffel and Chris Gaffaney inspected the ball using a ball gauge. After their assessment, they concluded that the ball did not need to be changed and handed it back.

Visibly frustrated with this ruling, Pant reacted by throwing the ball onto the ground in front of the umpires. This act was deemed by the match officials as a clear display of dissent.

Consequently, the 27-year-old Pant was found to be in violation of Level 1 of the ICC Code of Conduct. The particular article breached was Article 2.8, which explicitly deals with “showing dissent at an Umpire’s decision during an International Match.”

As a direct consequence of this breach, Pant has been handed an official reprimand. Furthermore, one demerit point has been added to his disciplinary record. It’s important to note that this marks Pant’s first offense within a 24-month period. Under ICC regulations, accumulating four or more demerit points within a 24-month span can lead to suspension points, resulting in a ban from a certain number of matches (e.g., one Test or two ODIs/T20Is).

The charges against Pant were leveled by the on-field umpires Chris Gaffaney and Paul Reiffel, along with third umpire Sharfuddoula Ibne Shahid and fourth umpire Mike Burns. Pant promptly admitted to the offense and accepted the sanction proposed by Richie Richardson of the Emirates ICC Elite Panel of Match Referees, which meant there was no need for a formal disciplinary hearing.

Despite this disciplinary setback, Pant has been a standout performer with the bat in the Headingley Test, achieving the remarkable feat of scoring centuries in both innings (134 in the first and 118 in the second). His extraordinary batting display has been crucial in setting up a thrilling finale to the Test match, with England requiring 350 runs on the final day with all 10 wickets still in hand.

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