Rishabh Pant May Face ICC Sanctions: Here’s What He Did

Rishabh Pant: Wicket-keeper batsman Rishabh Pant may face sanctions from the International Cricket Council (ICC) after he engaged in a heated argument with on-field umpire Paul Reiffel on Day 3 of the ongoing first Test against England. Pant expressed dissatisfaction with the condition of the ball after Harry Brook hit Mohammed Siraj for a boundary in the 61st over of England’s innings. Even after Reiffel checked the ball with the gauge and cleared it for play, Pant remained unhappy. He then approached the umpire again to inspect the ball himself. Frustrated, Pant threw the ball onto the field and walked away, prompting commentator Mark Butcher to call the act “needless.”

ICC Sanctions?

Following his on-field conversation with the umpire, the vice-captain of India may face two charges of violating the “Code of Conduct.” The first accusation might be for “showing dissent at an umpire’s decision during an international match,” as he got into a furious disagreement about the incident.

The second offense falls under Article 2.9. It states, “Throwing a ball (or any other item of cricket equipment, such as a water bottle) at or near a Player, Player Support Personnel, Umpire, Match Referee, or any other third person in an inappropriate and/or dangerous manner during an International Match.” Pant may face charges for this act as well. As a designated wicketkeeper, Pant also became the third player on his squad to reach 150 catches.

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Following Prasidh Krishna’s early strike, which removed Ollie Pope after an edge landed in Pant’s hands, the 27-year-old achieved a rare feat. Among Indian wicketkeepers, only MS Dhoni (256 catches) and Syed Kirmani (160 catches) had accomplished it before. Pant now ranks as the third-most successful Indian keeper in history, with 151 catches and 15 stumpings, a total of 166 dismissals. Dhoni remains the most successful, with 294 dismissals overall, including 256 catches and 38 stumpings.

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