India skipper Virat Kohli on Wednesday said his side is not too pleased with being docked two World Test Championship (WTC) points because of the slow over-rate in the first Test against England. England and India on Wednesday were fined 40 per cent of their match fees and penalised two ICC World Test Championship points each for maintaining slow over-rates in the first Test in Nottingham. “Yeah, that is right. As a team, we are not pleased that we lost those two points because of the slow over-rate. That factor is in our control, we made up a few overs and we were just short by two overs in the end,” said Kohli during a virtual press conference.
“Basically, we have to keep up with the pace of the game. You do not want to be too far behind in the game that you are not able to make up overs. As you said, points are very very crucial,” he added.
Chris Broad of the ICC Elite Panel of Match Referees imposed the sanctions after both sides were ruled to be two overs short of their targets after time allowances were taken into consideration.
In accordance with Article 2.22 of the ICC Code of Conduct for Players and Player Support Personnel, which relates to minimum over-rate offences, players are fined 20 per cent of their match fees for every over their side fails to bowl in the allotted time.
In addition, as per Article 16.11.2 of the ICC World Test Championship playing conditions, a side is penalised one point for each over short.
Captains Joe Root and Virat Kohli pleaded guilty and accepted the proposed sanctions, so there was no need for formal hearings.
On-field umpires Michael Gough and Richard Kettleborough, third umpire Richard Illingworth and fourth umpire David Millns leveled the charges.
The first Test between India and England ended in a draw after rain played spoilsport on the final day of the Test.
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The visitors looked set for victory, needing 157 runs to win on the final day, with nine wickets in hand, but the weather gods had something else in mind.
England and India will now face-off in the second Test beginning Thursday at the Lord’s Cricket Ground.
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