Dhoni banned for Adelaide Test

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India will have to make do without Mahendra Singh Dhoni in Adelaide after the captain was suspended by the International Cricket Council

India skipper Mahendra Singh Dhoni has been banned for the final Test against Australia due to a slow over rate during his side’s innings-and-37-run defeat in Perth.

Dhoni’s side surrendered the Border-Gavaskar Trophy at the WACA today after they suffered a second successive innings defeat to fall 3-0 behind in the four-Test series.

Their hopes of avoiding a whitewash were then dealt a further blow when Dhoni was handed a one-game ban for a second slow over-rate offence in the past 12 months.

India were two overs short of the required rate during Australia’s only innings of 369, when they spent large periods chasing leather as David Warner thrashed the equal fourth-quickest Test century.

Although the Test finished in just over two days, Dhoni was still handed the ban while also being fined 40% of his match fee. His team-mates were fined 20% of their match fees.

“The India team has been fined for maintaining a slow over-rate during the third Test against Australia in Perth, Western Australia, and as this is the second offence within 12 months India captain Mahendra Singh Dhoni has been suspended for the next Test match in line with the ICC Code of Conduct,” an International Cricket Council statement read.

“Ranjan Madugalle, chief ICC match referee, imposed the fines after India was ruled to be two overs short of its target at the end of the match after time allowances had been taken into consideration.

“Dhoni acknowledged that he had been kept informed of the position regarding over-rates on a regular basis throughout the match and therefore accepted the decision.”

Virender Sehwag is likely to take over the captaincy in Dhoni’s absence with Wriddhiman Saha set to be handed the wicketkeeping duties.

India’s defeat to Australia was their seventh consecutive loss on foreign soil and edged them closer to a second consecutive whitewash on their travels after they lost 4-0 in England last summer.