IPL 2023: Ravichandran Ashwin fined 25% of his match fee; Here's why

Rajasthan Royals (RR) spinner Ravichandran Ashwin has been fined for breaching the Indian Premier League (IPL) code of conduct.

Ashwin breached the law during RR's three-run victory over Chennai Super Kings (CSK) in their IPL 2023 meeting at Chepauk Stadium on Wednesday. Ashwin, who was fined 25% of his match fee, admitted to the offence, according to a release from the IPL.

"Ashwin admitted to the Level 1 Offence under Article 2.7 of the IPL's Code of Conduct. For Level 1 breaches of the Code of Conduct, the Match Referee's decision is final and binding," an IPL statement read.

While the statement did not mention the nature of the offence, Article 2.7 of code of conduct for players and team officials relates to "public criticism of, or inappropriate comment in relation to an incident occurring in a match or any player, team official, match official or team participating in any match, irrespective of when such criticism or inappropriate comment is made".

This could be in regards to Ashwin's criticism of on-field umpires at the post-match conference after RR's victory in Chennai. The veteran off-spinner slammed the umpires for changing the ball during CSK's chase without the bowling team asking for it.

"I'm quite surprised the umpires changed the ball for dew on their own. It's never happened before and I'm quite surprised," Ashwin said at the post-match press conference.

"Some of the decisions in this year's IPL on the field have left me a little flummoxed, to be honest. It left me flummoxed in a good or bad way because what you need is a little bit of balance. We're going as a bowling team and we're not asking for the ball to be changed. But the ball was changed on the umpire's accord. What reason - I did ask the umpire but he said we can change it.

"So I hope every time there's dew they can change it - every single time going forward in this IPL. You can do whatever you want but you need to be standard," added Ashwin.

The umpire changed the ball after Shivam Dube's dismissal, with CSK on 92 for 3 in the 12th over. Ashwin dismissed Dube and finished with figures of 2 for 25, which also included the wicket of Ajinkya Rahane. Despite the late effort from MS Dhoni and Ravindra Jadeja, RR secured a three-run victory.

However, laws in cricket and the IPL's playing conditions allow umpires to change the ball when they see fit, with Law 4.5 and playing condition 4.4 stating: "If, during play, the ball cannot be found or recovered or the umpires agree that it has become unfit for play through normal use, the umpires shall replace it with a ball which has had wear comparable with that which the previous ball had received before the need for its replacement. When the ball is replaced, the umpire shall inform the batters and the fielding captain."