The International Cricket Council (ICC) is reviewing a video that showed South Africa skipper Faf du Plessis shining the ball during the second Test against Australia in Hobart with a lolly in his mouth. The video clip showed the Proteas star repeatedly licking his finger before vigorously rubbing the ball.

Although, the law allows the players to polish the ball, it prohibits them from using any artificial substance on it.

The Law 42.3 of the MCC laws of cricket states that: “Any fielder may polish the ball provided that no artificial substance is used and that such polishing wastes no time”.

And, with certain quarters accusing du Plessis of ball-tempering, the ICC has decided to take the matters in their own hands.

“The ICC has been alerted to the footage and is currently reviewing the incident from the perspective of it being a possible breach of the ICC Code of Conduct,” an ICC spokesman said in a statement.

The apex body of the game has five days from the close of play on Tuesday to charge du Plessis Africa skipper after the incident was not mentioned in the match referee’s report. The ball-tampering allegations are not new for the South African player. He was fined by the ICC for rubbing the ball on the zipper of his pants in a Test match against Pakistan in 2013. Although he accepted the charges, he said that he had no intentions of any malfunction.

du Plessis, along with his team, also received a warning during the first Test when they were accused of deliberately bouncing the ball along the ground, to rough it up for getting the reverse swing. The incident was later downplayed by du Plessis who said that it was blown out of proportion.

Meanwhile, the visitors have taken an unassailable lead of 2-0 in the three-match series and will look to continue their winning run when they take on the Aussies at Adelaide from November 24.