After facing a one-game suspension, England skipper Ben Stokes could once again find himself under scrutiny as he was spotted tapping New Zealand's star all-rounder Mitchell Santner's wristband during the game. If the incident is deemed to consist of inappropriate physical contact, the all-rounder could face another disciplinary action.
ICC to take action against Stokes?
Stokes continued his amazing spell by dismissing Santner for his third wicket of the morning, after previously removing Daryl Mitchell and Will O'Rourke. Santner tried to dodge a rising short ball but was cramped in the search of some room but failed to get his hands out of danger.
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The delivery seemed to take a faint touch off Santner's glove before reaching Jacob Bethell's hands at the gully region, who completed an easy catch. Although the umpire raised his finger, Santner quickly asked for a review.
As the TV replays showed, it was confirmed that the ball had contact with the upper section of Santner's wristband, which is considered part of the bat according to the ICC's playing conditions. Despite the evidence, Santner seemed to be unconvinced and decided to challenge the on-field decision with a review.
What actually happened?
Following reviewing the video footage, the third umpire upheld the on-field decision, giving Ben Stokes his 250th wicket in Test cricket. While the review was underway, Stokes and Santner had a conversation with the New Zealand all-rounder arguing that the ball had struck his arm guard rather than his glove. Stokes then tapped the wristband on Santner's glove, signaling the exact area where he believed the ball had made contact.
Stokes' gesture could now come under the discussion for a possible breach of the ICC Code of Conduct. The regulations prohibit any form of inappropriate physical contact with another player or an umpire, meaning match officials could review the incident and decide whether any disciplinary action is warranted.