Rishabh Pant got an ICC warning and a demerit point for showing dissent during the Leeds Test.

India’s wicketkeeper-batter and vice-captain Rishabh Pant has been officially reprimanded by the International Cricket Council (ICC) for showing dissent towards an on-field umpire during the third day of the first Test match against England at Headingley, Leeds. The incident occurred during England’s first innings and has resulted in Pant receiving one demerit point for a Level 1 breach of the ICC Code of Conduct.

DETAILS OF THE INCIDENT

The flashpoint came during the 61st of England’s first innings, shortly after Harry Brook struck a boundary off Mohammed Siraj. Pant appeared dissatisfied with the ball's condition and approached the umpire, Paul Reiffel, requesting an inspection. Reiffel used the ball gauge to assess it and, finding no issue, returned the ball to play.

Visibly frustrated by the umpire’s decision, Pant reacted by backhanding the ball to the ground and walking away abruptly. His actions drew boos from the English crowd and triggered the attention of the match officials.

ICC CHARGES AND SANCTIONS

Pant was found to have violated Article 2.8 of the ICC Code of Conduct for Players and Player Support Personnel, which pertains to “showing dissent at an umpire’s decision during an international match.” This is considered a Level 1 offence, which carries a minimum penalty of an official reprimand and a maximum of 50% of the player's match fee, along with one or two demerit points.

In Pant’s case, the ICC issued a reprimand and one demerit point, marking his first offence in the past 24 months.

The charge was brought by on-field umpires Chris Gaffaney and Paul Reiffel, with third umpire Sharfuddoula Ibne Shahid and fourth umpire Mike Burns also involved in the process. Pant admitted to the offence and accepted the sanction proposed by match referee Richie Richardson from the Emirates ICC Elite Panel, which meant no formal disciplinary hearing was required.

MATCH CONTEXT: LEEDS TEST BALANCED HEADING INTO Day 5

Despite the disciplinary setback, Pant has had a stellar outing in the Test match, scoring centuries in both innings. His efforts, along with a ton from KL Rahul in the second innings, helped set England a daunting target of 371 runs.

At stumps on Day 4, the hosts were 21/0, needing a further 350 runs to win with all ten wickets in hand. The match is finely poised heading into Day 5, promising an exciting finish to the opening game of the series.