Adelaide - As South Africa’s captain, Faf du Plessis, is set to undergo an official hearing relating to a ball-tampering charge in Adelaide this morning, footage has emerged of Indian captain Virat Kohli shining the ball in a similar manner during the first Test against England in Rajkot this week.
Du Plessis has been charged for breaching Article 2.2.9 of the ICC Code of Conduct after television footage appeared to show him applying an artificial substance - the sugar of a mint sweet - to the ball during the fourth day’s play in the second Test against Australia in Hobart.
The case against Du Plessis is consequential considering that, if found guilty of a Level 2 offence, the South African skipper may miss the third Test at the Adelaide Oval on Thursday.
However, the charge against Du Plessis has placed the global regulations of the ICC under the spotlight due to video footage of India captain Virat Kohli shining the ball in exactly the same manner during the first Test against England.
The television footage shows Kohli taking his right hand towards his mouth, inside which a sweet is seen, and rubbing his fingers in his mouth, before going back to shining one side of the ball.
Like Du Plessis at Hobart, neither the umpires nor the match referee cited the Indian skipper despite the footage being available. But unlike Du Plessis, Kohli has not been charged by the ICC.
IOL