Mohammed Siraj Fined for Breaching Code of Conduct at Lord's

Ahead of Day five of the third Test at the iconic Lord's Stadium between India and England, the visitors' camp has received a big blow. India’s fast bowler Mohammed Siraj has been slapped with a hefty fine by the International Cricket Council (ICC). The fine comes after an incident involving England batter Ben Duckett. The incident happened on Day 4 of the third Test of the Anderson-Tendulkar Trophy 2025.

The 31-year-old pacer has been found guilty of breaking the ICC Code of Conduct. The ICC has taken stern action and fined him 15 percent of his match fee. The incident took place after Siraj dismissed Ben Duckett and celebrated in a way that was considered ‘aggressive’ by the ICC. His actions were directed towards the batter, due to which the apex council felt that his celebration could have provoked a negative reaction from Duckett.
This behavior goes against the spirit of the game. It was seen as disrespectful and unnecessary.

Why is Mohammed Siraj Fined by ICC?

The ICC, in the statement, announced that Mohammed Siraj was found guilty of breaking Article 2.5 of its Code of Conduct. This rule talks about “using language, actions, or gestures which disparage or which could provoke an aggressive reaction from a batter upon his/her dismissal during an International Match.”

This rule is part of Level 1 offences, which are the least serious in the ICC’s list. However, players are expected to respect these rules to maintain discipline and sportsmanship. The match officials, Jeff Crowe (Match Referee), Kumar Dharmasena (On-field Umpire), Chris Gaffaney (On-field Umpire), and Rod Tucker (TV Umpire) felt that Siraj’s actions were against the spirit of cricket, and their report led to the penalty.

Mohammed Siraj Demerit Points

Along with the fine, Siraj has also received one demerit point. This point has been added to his disciplinary record. Notably, this is not the first time Siraj has been punished with a demerit point. Mohammed Siraj demerit points incident is now his second offence in the last 24 months. He had earlier received a demerit point during the Border-Gavaskar Trophy 2024-25.

Demerit points can cause problems for players in the future. If a player gets four or more demerit points within 24 months, it can lead to suspension. Hence, Siraj will need to be careful going forward. The ICC also stated that Siraj has admitted to the offence and the punishment. Because of this, there was no need for a formal hearing.

The ICC continues to take such incidents seriously. The governing body wants players to play hard but fairly. Aggressive celebrations or disrespectful behavior are not acceptable. The ICC Code of Conduct is in place to protect the game’s spirit and helps keep cricket a gentleman’s game.

Siraj has been one of India’s key fast bowlers. He has performed well in recent series. Fans love his passion, but experts believe he must control his emotions on the field. Talking about the third Test, India needed 135 runs to win on the last day.