DELHI, India — West Indies fast bowler Jayden Seales has been fined 25 percent of his match fee and handed one demerit point for a Code of Conduct breach during the opening day of the second Test against India at the Arun Jaitley Stadium.
The incident occurred in the 29th over of India’s first innings, when Seales, after delivering a ball, fielded it on his follow-through and threw it toward batter Yashasvi Jaiswal, striking him on the pads while he was inside his crease.
The charge and the contest
On-field umpires Richard Illingworth and Paul Reiffel, along with third umpire Alex Wharf and fourth umpire K.N. Ananthapadmanabhan, reported the matter, charging Seales under Article 2.9 of the ICC Code of Conduct for Players and Player Support Personnel.
The regulation covers instances of “throwing a ball (or any other item of cricket equipment) at or near a player in an inappropriate and/or dangerous manner during an International Match.”
Seales, however, contested the charge, maintaining that his action was an attempt to effect a run out rather than a deliberate act of aggression.
Match referee’s verdict
After reviewing replay footage from multiple angles, the match referee determined that the throw was “unnecessary and inappropriate,” noting that Jaiswal was well within his crease when struck.
The ruling confirmed the offense as a Level 1 breach, the least severe in the ICC’s disciplinary framework but one that nonetheless carries a financial penalty and the addition of a demerit point.
The sanction adds to Seales’s existing disciplinary record, bringing his tally to two demerit points within a 24-month period. His previous infraction came during a Test against Bangladesh in December 2024.
Maintaining discipline
While the incident did not escalate further, the ruling serves as a reminder of the ICC’s continued emphasis on player conduct and respect within the spirit of the game. For Seales — who has been a key figure in the West Indies’ bowling attack — the episode marks a brief blemish amid what has otherwise been a promising return to Test cricket.
