|| CF DESK ||

The International Cricket Council fined Ravindra Jadeja for using an ointment on his bowling hand, but found no evidence of ball tampering during the Border Gavaskar Trophy series opener in Nagpur.

After the incident was shown on television and caught the attention of match officials, Jadeja's use of a cream on his left hand during Australia's first innings was scrutinized.

The ICC fined the left-arm spinner a quarter of his match fee even though he took seven wickets for the game and scored a significant half-century.

Jadeja admitted the offence and accepted the sanction proposed by Andy Pycroft of the Emirates ICC Elite Panel of Match Referees, so there was no need for a formal hearing.

In reaching his decision to sanction the player along with the Level 1 sanction he imposed, the Match Referee was satisfied that the cream was applied to the finger purely for medical purposes.

The cream was not applied as an artificial substance to the ball and consequently, it did not change the condition of the ball, which would have been in breach of clause 41.3 of the ICC playing conditions – Unfair Play – The Match Ball – Changing its Condition.