Rishabh Pant vented his frustration after being denied a ball change on day three of the Headingley Test between India and England.
The incident occurred just after the penultimate delivery of the 61st over of England's innings. Mohammed Siraj had just been hit for four when Harry Brook ramped a short ball over the slips. India’s vice-captain Pant, visibly unhappy with the ball’s condition, complained to umpire Paul Reiffel, who promptly inspected it using his ball gauge.
Reiffel appeared satisfied with the ball’s shape and handed it back to Pant, sparking a animated discussion as the wicketkeeper tried to press his case. When his appeal for a ball change was dismissed, Pant reacted with frustration, flinging the ball back-handed on the ground before storming off. The Headingley crowd booed in response, amplifying the tense moment.
"When you start wanting to change the ball every now and then, it's a clear indication that nothing's happening. We want something to happen. And that was frustration from Pant," said Ravi Shastri in the commentary.
"I'm not sure there was any need for that. (We) know that he's a showman and part of that is probably in order to get a reaction from the crowd, but I'm not sure Paul Reiffel appreciated it very much," Mark Butcher, his co-commentator, replied.
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Is Pant at risk of ICC sanctions for his reaction to umpire's ball change denial?
Pant risks breaching two articles of the ICC Code of Conduct following his heated exchange with umpire Paul Reiffel. The first possible violation concerns Article 2.8 for showing dissent at an umpire's decision, which could be charged as either a Level 1 or Level 2 offence. Specifically, he may face charges under clause (a) for displaying excessive, obvious disappointment with the umpire's verdict, and clause (h) for engaging in prolonged argument or discussion about the decision.
The second potential violation falls under Article 2.9 of the ICC Code of Conduct, which prohibits "throwing a ball at or near an umpire in an inappropriate manner." Like Article 2.8, this offence also carries Level 1 and Level 2 sanctions.
An over after the incident, the umpires conducted multiple ball checks, with Shubman Gill and Jasprit Bumrah also seen discussing the issue. India then struck a crucial blow when Siraj dismissed Ben Stokes, reducing England to 276-5 in reply to India’s first-innings total of 471.
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