Ravindra Jadeja ball-tampering storm: Why claims during India vs Australia clash are ‘nonsense’
Jadeja #Jadeja
Ravindra Jadeja has been cleared of ball-tampering after footage appeared to show him applying cream to the ball during the first Test between India and Australia in Nagpur.
Jadeja took five wickets in the first innings of the series, claiming the prize scalps of Marnus Labuschagne and Steve Smith, as Australia were bowled out for just 177 before the end of day one.
However, India and the ICC were forced to respond to ball-tampering claims after a video showed Jadeja dabbing at a substance on Mohammed Siraj’s hand before preparing to bowl.
Match referee Andy Pycroft was informed by India that Jadeja had been using a pain-relieving cream on the index finger of his bowling hand, an explanation accepted by the ICC – although there was no formal charge brought against the Indian spinner and Australia had not submitted a complaint.
“The match referee can independently probe such incidents without needing a complaint to be lodged,” an ICC report on the incident said.
“And under the laws of cricket, the bowler needs the umpire’s permission to apply any sort of substance on their hands to ensure the condition of the ball remains unaffected.”
Ex-England captain Michael Vaughan said he had “never” seen a bowler put anything on his spinning finger, but Jadeja’s explanation was backed up by former Australia captain Michael Clarke. He did though note Jadeja’s failure to show match officials what he was doing opened him to criticism; he was standing behind the umpire at the top of his run-up at the time.
“What he should have done there, he should have given the ball to the umpire and stand in front of the umpire while he was putting it on his finger,” Clarke told Sky Sports.
He added: “I don’t look at that and think it’s a thing. I just wish he didn’t have the ball in his hand. If he chucks the ball to the umpire and does that I don’t think there’s any comment made about that. It’s just the perception. I don’t think there’s anything to it.”
A series between India and Australia rarely strays far from the controversial, and ball-tampering remains an ever-hot topic, especially given the visitors are still only five years removed from the scandalous Test match in South Africa, and the three main protagonists, characters rehabilitated, are still part of the team.
And in the words of former Australia wicketkeeper Brad Haddin, the video “didn’t look good the first time we saw it”.
But supporters and senior officials were already on high alert even before a ball had been bowled in Nagpur after an unusual looking pitch was unveiled. The wicket featured two decidedly drier areas at each end, on a good length and around the line of a left-handed batsman’s off stump. It appeared to have been selectively watered in order to create conditions that would make it easier for India’s left-arm spinners, including Jadeja, to spin the ball from the drier and eventually rougher areas.
Ravi Shastri, at various times captain, director of cricket, national selector and head coach of the side, roared off accusations of “doctoring”.
“That is bulls___,” Shastri told Australian radio station SEN.
“If someone can get a hundred or 80-plus on that pitch, they’ve played well and he will go and say, ‘What’s wrong with the pitch? You stay there, you apply yourself, your shot selection is good, you get runs’.”
Australia captain Pat Cummins shrugged off concerns about the pitch in his pre-Test press conference. Two days into the match, spinners lead seamers 14 wickets to three and Australia trail by 144 runs. If that trend continues, Cummins might have a bit more to say about it come Monday.