Ravindra Jadeja's verdict to be appealed by the BCCI

Ravindra Jadeja and James Anderson

India are poised to challenge the guilty verdict against Ravindra Jadeja for his supposed involvement in the altercation with James Anderson on the 2nd day of the 1st Test match at Trent Bridge.   

England had charged Jadeja with a Level 2 offence, but David Boon, the ICC match referee, found him guilty of a Level 1 offence instead of the offence that he was originally charged with and fined him 50% of the match fees.

The BCCI had immediately expressed its displeasure at the verdict and had said that it will be looking to appeal against the verdict. According to the ICC's appeals process, though, penalties for a Level 1 offence could not be challenged, unless it was a second such penalty imposed on the player within a 12-month period. Jadeja had been fined 10 per cent of his match fee for using abusive language against Shane Watson in an ODI last November, which came under section 2.1.4 of the code. On the other hand, this is a level 2.1.8 offence, meaning that an appeal was not considered possible.  

The BCCI, determined to not let go of this matter as they believe Jadeja is completely innocent, consulted its legal team, and it has now emerged that Jadeja’s appeal will be heard alongside Anderson’s Level 3 hearing on Friday. The ICC is expected to issue an official statement on the matter on Wednesday.  

Judicial commissioner Gordon Lewis, who is from Australia, is expected to be hearing Jadeja’s appeal apart from presiding over the hearing of Anderson. From the Indian side, Jadeja, Indian captain MS Dhoni, coach Duncan Fletcher, physiotherapist Evan Speechly and BCCI’s lawyers are expected to be present at the hearing.