Faf du Plessis faces a match ban after being fined for a slow over-rate in the second Test against India.

The Proteas captain was ruled to be two overs short in Centurion, with Du Plessis fined 40% of his match fee and his teammates fined 20%.

It also means there is now a strike against the skipper’s name and if he’s found guilty of another minor over-rate offence in the next 12 months in Test cricket, he will face a suspension.

For example, another over-rate offence in the third Test against India next week would likely mean du Plessis will miss the first Test against Australia in Durban, which starts on 1 March.

An offence in the first, second or third Tests against Australia would lead to a ban for the subsequent match.

The Proteas fielded a destructive four-man pace attack in Centurion alongside spinner Keshav Maharaj, with their pace-heavy lineup likely to have contributed to the hosts being short of their over rate.

The pace quartet of Kagiso Rabada, Morne Morkel, Vernon Philander and Lungi Ngidi bowled 116.3 overs between them, with Maharaj bowling just 26.

‘The last five days took a lot of hard work,’ Du Plessis said. ‘The previous game at Newlands [where South Africa won by 72 runs] was almost on fast forward. This was completely different. It was a game of grinding, hard work and pushing ourselves for longer and longer.’

Photo: Chris Ricco/BackpagePix