Ind vs Sl: Blow to India as Ravindra Jadeja suspended for 3rd test

In a blow to India's chances of achieving a whitewash in the ongoing test series against Sri Lanka, star-allrounder Ravindra Jadeja is set to miss the third test match at Pallekele starting August 12. 

According to ICC, Ravindra Jadeja has been suspended for the upcoming Pallekele Test after his accumulated demerit points reached six within a 24-month period following his latest breach of the ICC Code of Conduct for which he received a 50% fine and three demerit points .He was found guilty of breaching article 2.2.8 of the ICC Code of Conduct for Player and Player Support Personnel. 

During the third day’s play in the Colombo Test against Sri Lanka on Saturday, Jadeja was found guilty of breaching article 2.2.8 of the ICC Code of Conduct for Player and Player Support Personnel, which relates to “throwing a ball (or any other item of cricket equipment such as a water bottle) at or near a player.  As Jadeja had received a 50% fine and three demerit points during the Indore Test against New Zealand in October 2016 for violating 2.2.11 of the Code, with the addition of Saturday’s three demerit points, he has reached the threshold of four demerit points, which, pursuant to article 7.6 of the Code, have now been converted into two suspension points.

As such, Jadeja has been suspended from his side’s third Test against Sri Lanka, which will be played in Pallekele from 12-16 August.

Following this suspension, the six demerit points will remain on Jadeja’s disciplinary record. If Jadeja reaches the next threshold of eight or more demerit points within a 24-month period, then they will be converted into four suspension points. Saturday’s incident happened on the final delivery of the 58th over when Jadeja, after fielding off his own bowling, threw the ball back at the batsman who had not left his crease. The on-field umpires deemed the throwing “in a dangerous manner” as it narrowly missed Dimuth Karunaratne.

Jadeja admitted the offence and accepted the sanction proposed by Richie Richardson of the Emirates Elite Panel of ICC Match Referees and, as such, there was no need for a formal hearing. The charge was laid by on-field umpires Bruce Oxenford and Rod Tucker, third umpire Richard Illingworth and fourth umpire Ruchira Palliyaguruge. All level 2 breaches carry an imposition of a fine between 50% to 100% of the applicable match fee and/or up to two suspension points, and three or four demerit points.

 India buried Sri Lanka under a mountain of runs as they cantered to a comprehensive innings and 53-run victory in the second Test, taking an unassailable 2-0 lead in the three-match series here today. The hosts, who put up their best batting show in the series so far were all-out for 386 in the second innings despite twin centuries from opener Dimuth Karunaratne (141) and No 3 Kusal Mendis (110).

Ravindra Jadeja (5/152 in 39 overs), after an indifferent final two sessions on the third day, found his rhythm and more importantly length back to inflict the maximum damage. Once Karunaratne and former skipper Angelo Mathews (36) were dismissed by Jadeja within a space of five runs from each other, it was only a matter of time before India clinched the series.

Karunaratne and Mathews added 69 runs for the fifth wicket as Sri Lanka were 310 for four at one stage before a collapse saw the last six wickets going down for 76 runs. India have now won back-to-back away Test series in the island nation having clinched the previous edition in 2015 by 2-1 margin. Interestingly, Kohli is the only India captain to have won two Test series in Sri Lanka.

The quality, or the lack of it, of the Sri Lankan team will give Virat Kohli and his boys a chance to complete a clean sweep in Pallekele (Kandy), where the the third Test starts on August 12.

With agency inputs