India's horror summer in Australia has gone from bad to worse as captain M.S. Dhoni has been suspended for the fourth Test in Adelaide for slow over rates, just hours after his side went 3-0 down in the Border-Gavaskar series.
The International Cricket Council (ICC) changed the regulations governing the punishment for slow over rates in June 2011, meaning any captain fined for infringing these rules twice in a 12-month period would be automatically suspended for one game.
Dhoni was previously fined for a slow over rate in their Test against the West Indies in Barbados, before being fined once again after his side failed to make the required over rate by two overs during their disastrous innings-and-37-run loss to Australia in Perth.
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.
A release from the ICC stated: "In accordance with ICC Code of Conduct regulations governing minor over-rate offences, players are fined 10 per cent of their match fees for every over their side fails to bowl in the allotted time, with the captain fined double that amount."
"As such, Dhoni was suspended for the next Test match and also fined 40 per cent of his match fee while the other players received 20 per cent fines."
"Dhoni pleaded guilty to the charge and the subsequent penalties were accepted both by Dhoni and India."
Dhoni's predecessor Sourav Ganguly was also suspended for slow over rates, but Dhoni is the first captain banned since the new rules were introduced last year.
Back-up wicketkeeper Wriddhiman Saha may now come into the side for the Adelaide Test, although Rahul Dravid has previously also kept for India and may play in this position, allowing Rohit Sharma to come in as a batsman.
Virender Sehwag is expected to take over as captain in Adelaide.