Chris Broad of the Emirates ICC Elite Panel of Match Referees imposed the sanction after India were ruled to be two overs short of the target after time allowances were taken into consideration.
In accordance with Article 2.22 of the ICC Code of Conduct for Players and Player Support Personnel, which relates to minimum over-rate offences, players are fined five per cent of their match fee for every over their side fails to bowl in the allotted time.
In addition, as per Article 16.11.2 of the ICC World Test Championship playing conditions, a side is penalised one point for each over short. Consequently, two World Test Championship points have been deducted from India’s points total.
India captain Rohit Sharma pled guilty to the offence and accepted the proposed sanction, so there was no need for a formal hearing. On-field umpires Paul Reiffel and Langton Rusere, third umpire Ahsan Raza and fourth umpire Stephen Harris leveled the charge.
India lost the first Test by an innings and 32 runs to after being folded for a paltry 131 in the second innings in what was a rather shambolic batting performance, with only Virat Kohli and Shubman Gill managing socres in double digits. This, after India had allowed South Africa to take a sizeable lead of 163 runs, thanks to a staggering 185 from Dean Elgar and a crucial unbeaten 84 from Marco Jansen.
India's first innings was also a disappointment for the most part, keeping aside KL Rahul's magnificent 101 in trying conditions. The visitors' hopes of a comeback in the match were pinned on the bolwers after managing an unimposing 245 in the first innings, however, South Africa's response was sturdy and pushed India on the backfoot even as they were a batter short, as the injured Temba Bavuma did not turn out to bat.
The two teams will meet in the New Year's Test in Cape Town from January 3.
