India, Jan. 5 -- Ben Stokes is unlikely to face any formal sanction despite a spiky exchange with Marnus Labuschagne late on day two of the fifth Ashes Test at the SCG, with the incident viewed as largely trivial and well short of the threshold that typically triggers ICC disciplinary action.

The England captain was caught on stump microphones telling Labuschagne to "shut the fuck up" after an over, before walking towards the Australian batter and putting an arm around his shoulder as the words continued. Umpires Ahsan Raza and Chris Gaffaney moved in as the pair lingered mid-pitch, but Stokes then stepped away after appearing to give Labuschagne a brief squeeze.

Under the ICC Code of Conduct, the moment could technically be interpreted...