Virat Kohli could be suspended for one Test due to extremely slow over rate

Virat Kohli

India’s stand-in captain Virat Kohli could be suspended for a Test match if match referee Jeff Crowe finds the Indian team guilty of a “serious” offence, with regards to a slow over rate on day 4 of the first Test between Australia and India.

India bowled 69 overs at a rate of 13.1 overs per over today. Despite 30 minutes being added at the end of day’s play, 7 overs were lost out on Friday. This could be considered as a “serious” offence by the match referee, which would lead to Kohli receiving two suspension points. According to ICC rules, two suspension points results in a player getting banned for either 1 Test or 2 ODIs.

Kohli could escape without ban

Crowe could, in all likeliness, consider it as a “minimum” offence after looking at factors that might have delayed proceedings, which would result in Kohli only losing 20% of his match fee. Australia bowled 19.4 overs in the morning session, which could also lead to Crowe considering India’s slow over rate as a “minimum” offence.

Captains do not receive a ban for a “minimum” offence, unless it happens twice within a period of 12 months.

According to the ICC Code of Conduct, every side has to bowl at least 14.28 overs per hour in Test cricket. The match referee calculates the over rates of both teams at the end of every match where he does take various situations like injuries, 3rd umpire referrals, and other such stoppages into consideration.

The Indian cricket team’s permanent captain MS Dhoni had been banned for a match during India’s last tour to Australia after being found guilty of two “minimum” offences within a period of 12 months.

If Kohli is suspended for the Gabba Test, it will be the first Test he will miss since November 2012.

I stand to be corrected, but ICC Code of Conduct says 7 overs short is a "serious" offence and "serious" equals ban for captain #ausvind

— Brydon Coverdale (@brydoncoverdale) December 12, 2014