Ball-tampering incident in 2004
While ball-tampering is now becoming a big issue in international cricket, Rahul Dravid involved in the ball-tampering incident during an ODI match in 2004. It was the ODI match between India and Zimbabwe at Brisbane on 20th January 2004, where Dravid was charged for deliberately ball-tampering by the match referee Clive Lloyd.
During the second innings of that match when Zimbabwe were batting, Dravid was busy to shine one side of the ball. The match video was showing a yellow spot on the ball. Dravid was fined for 50% of his match fees for breaching clause 2.10 of the ICC’s Code of Conduct. According to that ICC’s Code of Conduct, players are not allowed to apply substances to the ball other than sweat and saliva.
However, Dravid denied the claim of intentional conduct. Then-Indian Head Coach John Wright also defended Dravid by claiming, “it was an innocent mistake.” According to him, while Dravid was trying to apply saliva on the ball, a part of the lozenge stuck on the ball, which Dravid also tried to remove from the ball.