The Hindu : Sport / Cricket : Gambhir gets one-Test ban

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Gambhir gets one-Test ban

Special Correspondent

To appeal against the decision
Previous offences include run-in with Afridi

— PHOTO: AFP

Gautam Gambhir.

New Delhi: Gautam Gambhir has received a one-Test ban on being found guilty of breaching the ICC Code of Conduct during the third cricket Test against Australia in New Delhi.

As a result, the opener could miss the final Test of the current series, starting in Nagpur on November 6.

Gambhir has decided to appeal against the ban, however, and will be able to play the fourth Test either if his appeal is successful or if it isn’t heard before the start of the match.

The ICC must appoint an Appeals Commissioner within 48 hours of the appeal being lodged, and the appeal must be heard within seven days of the appointment.

Gambhir, who had pleaded guilty to a charge under Rule C1 of the Code (Level 2) pertaining to violating the spirit of the game, met match referee Chris Broad on Friday morning before the start of the third day. The hearing had been adjourned on Thursday evening to allow Broad to review the evidence.

The incident that led to the charge being laid took place during the 51st over of India’s first innings on day one. Gambhir nudged Shane Watson with his elbow while taking a second run after the bowler had appeared to raise his hand and move towards the batsman during the first.

Watson was found guilty and fined 10 per cent of his match fee on Thursday for verbally engaging with Gambhir in a manner that was not in keeping with the spirit of cricket.

Broad, explaining the decision, said: “The decision to find Gambhir guilty of a Level 2 offence is indicative of the fact that any degree of physical contact is unacceptable. Had Gambhir been charged with and found guilty of a charge under 2.4 (inappropriate and deliberate physical contact), due to his previous offence, I would have been obliged to impose a minimum penalty of a two-Test match ban.

“In the view of the umpires, the facts of this case — the lightness of the physical conduct and the element of provocation — would not justify such a penalty. The umpires accordingly had regard to the notes of the ICC Code of Conduct which provides for a player to be charged under Rule C1 if the circumstances of the alleged incident are not adequately covered by the listed offences.

“Whilst I concur with this view, the ICC has repeatedly told the players that deliberate physical contact between players will not be tolerated. I have also taken into account the previous offences of Gambhir and therefore, I am satisfied that the penalty imposed is an appropriate outcome in the circumstances of this matter. I hope Mr. Gambhir will learn from this.” Gambhir’s “previous offences” include being fined 65 per cent of his match fee for a run-in with Pakistan’s Shahid Afridi in 2007 while batting in an ODI in Kanpur.

He was found guilty then of a Level 2 charge of inappropriate and deliberate physical contact between players as well as a Level 1 charge of not conducting himself within the spirit of the game.

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