IND vs ENG: Ben Stokes accidentally applies saliva on ball, left with a warning

Ben Stokes accidentally applied saliva on the ball in the opening day of the ongoing day-night third Test against India in Ahmedabad on Wednesday.

England all-rounder Ben Stokes accidentally applied saliva on the ball in the opening day of the ongoing day-night third Test against India in Ahmedabad on Wednesday. The incident took place in the final session of the day, and subsequently the ball was santised.

Following the incident, onfield umpire Nitin Menon had a brief chat with Stokes. 

As per the new rules laid down by the International Cricket Council (ICC), the use of saliva to shine the ball was banned in June last year considering the coronavirus pandemic. The ICC's Covid-19 regulations states that a team can be warned twice for using saliva per innings, and further use of it will result in a 5-run penalty to the batting side. Whenever saliva is applied to the ball, the umpires have to clean it before play resumes. 

Meanwhile, Axar Patel dictated the proceedings on the opening day of the ongoing day-night Test between India and England in Ahmedabad as the 27-year-old completed yet another five-wicket haul in his second match. The spinner completed the innings with six scalps and gave away just 38 runs as the visitors were bundled out for a paltry 112. 

The local star found great support from his senior partner R Ashwin, who scalped three wickets on Wednesday and now has a total of 397 Test wickets under his name.