Furore erupts after Indian's Ravindra Jadeja spotted rubbing substance on spinning finger
Indian spinner Ravindra Jadeja is under the microscope after he was spotted appearing to apply a foreign substance to his hand during the opening day of the first Test in Nagpur.
TV footage showed Jadeja taking the substance from a teammate and applying it to the index finger on his left hand. Jadeja, who took 5/47 on the opening day, is a left-arm finger spinner.
"What is it he is putting on his spinning finger? Never ever seen this," former England captain Michael Vaughan wrote on Twitter.
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Cricinfo reports that the Indian team has told match referee Andy Pycroft that Jadeja "was applying pain-relief cream to the index finger of his bowling hand."
Cricinfo says no charges have been laid by the match referee.
Law 41.3.2.1 of the ICC Playing Conditions states that a player may "polish the ball on his clothing provided that no artificial substance is used."
Indian bowler Ravindra Jadeja appears to rub a substance onto his spinning finger. FOX Sports
If an outside substance is used the umpires "shall consider the condition of the ball to have been unfairly changed."
The footage was also brought to the attention of former Australian captain Tim Paine on Twitter. His reply was that it was "interesting".
Jadeja claimed the wickets of Marnus Labuschagne, Matt Renshaw, Steve Smith, Todd Murphy and Peter Handscomb as Australia was skittled for 177 after winning the toss and electing to bat.
At stumps the home side is in the box seat after advancing to 1-77, with Murphy claiming his maiden Test wicket when he dismissed KL Rahul.
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