Indian captain Rohit Sharma had a chuckle on the field as a DRS review turned an out decision to not out, preventing Ravi Ashwin from claiming his presumed 500th Test wicket. The turn of events left some frustration among the Indian players.
The controversy happened during the fourth day of the Test match. England, captained by Ben Stokes, was struggling at 194/6 at Lunch.
Rohit Sharma’s Heated Exchange With The Umpire:
Indian spinner R Ashwin needed just one more wicket for a significant milestone. In the 62nd over of England’s second innings, Ashwin thought he got Hartley out with a caught-behind appeal. However, England challenged the decision using DRS, which showed the ball hit Hartley’s forearm, not his glove. The third umpire changed the decision. The DRS protocol includes checking all possible modes of dismissal, but Hartley survived an LBW review as the original decision was already not out.
Replays confirmed no contact between the bat and ball, indicating it hit Tom Hartley’s arm. The third umpire then checked for LBW, where the ball hitting any part of the stumps can lead to an out. However, India faced another setback as the impact showed umpire’s call. Despite the LBW review, Hartley survived as the original decision was not out.
After the controversial decision, Indian captain Rohit Sharma discussed the matter with on-field umpire Chris Gaffaney. The disagreement centered on whether the LBW decision should be given out. Gaffaney clarified that he referred the decision for a catch, not LBW.
Despite Rohit’s dissatisfaction, the umpires upheld their call, and the English batsman, Tom Hartley, remained not out. However, Hartley couldn’t capitalize on the controversy and was later dismissed by Jasprit Bumrah.
In the midst of the confusion, Rohit Sharma sought clarification from the umpire, wanting to know why Tom Hartley was not given out despite the initial dismissal for the catch. The umpire explained that the decision solely pertained to the catch and not the LBW appeal, ensuring clarity for the Indian skipper.
Watch the video:
— Sitaraman (@Sitaraman112971) February 5, 2024
Meanwhile, India squared the five-match Test series 1-1 with a triumph in Visakhapatnam. Yashasvi Jaiswal’s stellar 209 in the first innings, coupled with Bumrah’s exceptional 6 for 45, and Shubman Gill’s gritty century in the second innings, followed by Ashwin and Bumrah’s three-wicket contributions, were standout displays. Despite England’s resolute efforts, they fell short by 106 runs. Jasprit Bumrah earned the player of the match accolade for his stellar 9/91 performance.
