Gautam Gambhir, India's in-form opening batsman, was on Friday slapped a one-Test ban for elbowing all-rounder Shane Watson in the ongoing match against Australia, but the player may be eligible to play in the fourth and final Test at Nagpur on November 6.
The Dubai-based International Cricket Council confirmed having received an appeal from the Board of Control for Cricket in India against the ban, imposed on Gambhir for breaching the ICC's code of conduct during the third Test underway in Delhi.
But India's top scorer in the current series against Australia may still play the Nagpur Test after the ICC said that pending a hearing into the appeal he could continue playing under Code of Conduct regulations.
The ICC said in a statement from Dubai that its legal counsel will appoint a Code of Conduct Commissioner within 48 hours and the appeal will be heard within seven days of the Commissioner's appointment.
The final Test against Australia starts in Nagpur from November 6 and if a decision doesn't arrive by then, Gambhir will be eligible to play in that match.
The India opener pleaded guilty to the charge levied against him for elbowing Watson while attempting a run on the first day of the Delhi Test and was slapped the ban by match referee Chris Broad.
Gambhir met Broad on Friday morning before the start of third day's play when he was informed of the penalty.
"The decision to find Gambhir guilty of a level 2 offence is indicative of the fact that any degree of physical contact is unacceptable," said Broad, who decided not to be lenient by giving a lesser penalty of a fine of between 50 and 100 per cent of the player's match fee.
