IND vs ENG Test: Rishabh Pant reprimanded by ICC - why has he been punished?

Rishabh Pant Reprimanded by ICC for Dissent During Test Match

Indian wicketkeeper-batter Rishabh Pant has been officially reprimanded by the International Cricket Council (ICC) for expressing dissent at an umpire's decision during the recent Headingley Test match against England.

Rishabh Pant vs England on Day 4 of the first Test (Image via X/@BCCI)

The incident, a violation of Article 2.8 of the ICC Code of Conduct for Players and Player Support Personnel, occurred during England's first innings. As a result, a demerit point has been added to Pant's disciplinary record.

Specifically, the incident unfolded in the 61st over of England's innings, with Harry Brook and Ben Stokes batting. Pant engaged in a discussion with the umpires regarding the condition of the ball. When the umpires declined to change the ball after inspecting it with the ball gauge, Pant showed his disagreement by throwing the ball on the ground in front of the officials.

The charges were brought forward by the match officials, including on-field umpires Chris Gaffaney and Paul Reiffel, third umpire Sharfuddoula Ibne Shahid, and fourth umpire Mike Burns. This is Pant's first offense within a 24-month period.

The matter was resolved without the need for a formal disciplinary hearing, as Pant admitted to the offense and accepted the sanction proposed by Richie Richardson of the Emirates ICC Elite Panel of ICC Match Referees.

According to ICC disciplinary guidelines, Level 1 breaches entail penalties ranging from an official reprimand to a maximum of 50 percent of a player's match fee, along with one or two demerit points.

Prior to this incident, Pant had delivered a strong batting performance in the Headingley Test, scoring two centuries across both innings.

The match situation at Leeds remains competitive, with England needing 350 runs to win on the final day of play, with all their wickets intact.