May 8 (Punjab Khabarnama) : Sanju Samson’s dismissal on Tuesday in Rajasthan Royals’ 20-run defeat to the Delhi Capitals sparked the latest in a lengthening list of flash points at the centre of which is an umpire’s decision during the match. While some of these calls have had little effect on the final result, Samson’s dismissal in the 16th over of RR’s chase turned out to be one of the most important moments of the match. RR were 162/4 chasing a target of 222 at the time that Samson fell. They ended up being limited to a score of 202/8.
Both the on-field and television umpires have often made calls that have perplexed fans, commentators and players, including those from the team that benefitted from the call. Let’s take a look at five of the most prominent moments involving an umpiring decision.
1. Sanju Samson dismissal (DC vs RR, Match No.56)
The Samson incident is the most recent and so we look at that first. The RR captain had shared a 63-run stand with Jos Buttler that came in 33 balls, a 36-run stand off 31 balls with Riyan Parag and then a stand of 59 runs off 29 balls with Shubham Dubey. He pulled fast bowler Mukesh Kumar’s fourth delivery of the 16th over flat towards the long-on boundary. Shai Hope took the catch seemingly just inches away from the boundary, with his momentum forcing him to stumble. He was not sure if his foot touched the boundary or not and the on-field umpires called on TV umpire Michael Gough, who adjudicated that Hope had taken the catch cleanly. Samson had started walking off initially, but then returned as the replays seemed to suggest that there was contact with the boundary. However, the decision that came on the big screen was out, and Samson then had a long and visibly heated argument with on-field umpires KN Ananthapadmanabhan and Ulhas Gandhe. Samson was later fined 30 per cent of his match fees for dissent.
2. Virat Kohli’s dismissal (KKR vs RCB, Match No.36)
One of the most thrilling matches of the season also featured arguably its biggest flashpoint when veteran RCB star Virat Kohli fell off the first ball of the third over. Kohli had raced to 18 in seven balls as RCB chased a target of 223. Harshit Rana started the third over with a slow full toss that came at Kohli at an awkward height. The former RCB captain took evasive action and tried to defend the ball, he ended up getting a leading edge and it lobbed straight back to the bowler. The on-field umpire sent it up to the television umpire who adjudicated that Kohli is out. The batter tried to review but he couldn’t do that since it was already the television umpire’s decision. Replays showed that Kohli had been well outside his crease when he made contact with the ball and hawk-eye also suggested that it went below his waist. Kohli was incensed though, giving the umpires a piece of his mind before walking off. He was fined 50 per cent of his match fees.
3. Wide call against Mohit Sharma (RR vs GT, Match No.24)
Reviews against wide deliveries have been a topic of discussion this season, with a number of commentators feeling that they are a waste of time. There have been a few perplexing situations in this area though and none more than what transpired in the 17th over of RR’s innings against Gujarat Titans on April 10. Mohit Sharma was the bowler and was bowling the last ball of the over. It was slow on a length well outside off against RR captain Samson, who was early on his swing at the delivery. Samson had moved outside off stump but the on-field umpire gave it wide, which led to GT captain Shubman Gill taking the review. Third umpire Ananthapadmanabhan reckoned that the ball was not wider than Samson’s initial movement and asked his colleague to stay with his non-wide call, when the latter had in fact given it wide. The third umpire then asks for another replay and decides to let the original call stay. All of this could be heard on the stadium’s PA system, leaving Gill perplexed. At the end of the comedy of errors, the wide call stayed.
4. Wide call against Ishant Sharma (LSG vs DC, Match No.26)
LSG had won the toss and chosen to bat first against DC on April 12. Veteran pacer Ishant Sharma angled the fourth delivery of the fourth over in from around the wicket and beat Devdutt Padikkal down the leg side. The on-field umpire called it wide and then signalled for a review from DC. The television umpire held up the appeal after which Pant could be seen talking to the on-field umpire. While it had initially looked like Pant never wanted to take the review and that the DC captain was unhappy at having inadvertently lost one, it was later revealed that Pant was questioning why the third umpire did not care to look at ultra edge.
5. Ayush Badoni run out (MI vs LSG, Match No.48)
For a change, have a run out call raising eyebrows. MI had made a good first of defending a meagre total of 144/7. It came down to LSG being five wickets down and needing 13 to win off the last 12 at the start of the 19th over bowled by MI captain Hardik Pandya. The first delivery was short and wide outside off, Ayush Badoni worked it towards the deep cover point region. The batters scrambled for two but Badoni was well off his mark when the throw came to wicketkeeper Ishan Kishan. However, the latter could not whip off the bails on first attempt and it looked like Badoni had made his ground by the time Kishan did so. The MI players themselves seemed convinced that Badoni is safe, the replays rolled at the third umpire’s showed that it was 50-50 as to whether Badoni had grounded his bat or not. To everyone’s surprise, the third umpire decided that this had not happened and Badoni had to walk.