AB de Villiers calls for umpiring clarity as Virat Kohli faces controversial dismissal against KKR
PTC News Desk: During the IPL 2024 match between Royal Challengers Bangalore and Kolkata Knight Riders, tension escalated as Virat Kohli, the star batter for RCB, expressed his frustration over a controversial dismissal. Kohli's anger erupted after he was adjudged out following a delivery from Harshit Rana during the third over of RCB's innings.
The delivery, a slow full-toss, resulted in Kohli hitting a straight catch back to the bowler. However, Kohli contested the decision, believing that the ball was above waist height, which would render it a no-ball.
In response, Kohli swiftly requested a review, hoping to overturn the decision. The replays indicated that Kohli was positioned outside the crease, and while the ball was dipping, it was deemed to be within the acceptable height limit if Kohli had maintained his regular batting stance.
Consequently, the third umpire, Michael Gough, upheld the on-field decision, ruling against RCB and confirming Kohli's dismissal. This turn of events left Kohli visibly agitated, leading to a heated exchange with the on-field umpires as he expressed his frustration at the decision.
Updates from KKR vs RCB Clash
In an intriguing turn of events, Kohli's ex-RCB teammate, AB de Villiers, recently expressed his discontent with third umpire decisions concerning wide balls, advocating for the use of "common sense" alongside technology. Notably, following Kohli's controversial dismissal, de Villiers emphasised the importance of eliminating "grey areas" in such rulings.
Forgot to clarify this in 360 live today. It’s got nothing to do with bad umpiring, rather common sense to use technology in a game already improved by it. Like the offside rule in football, draw lines and simplify the decision for wides(height, offside and leg-side). Line to be… — AB de Villiers (@ABdeVilliers17) April 21, 2024
"Grey areas in the game open up room for anger and confusion. It’s not a tough fix this. Get the batter’s stance, draw the lines and use ball tracking. No confusion whatsoever," de Villiers conveyed on X (formerly Twitter).
Earlier in the match, de Villiers also suggested that cricket could adopt insights from football while addressing such issues.
“Forgot to clarify this in 360 live today. It’s got nothing to do with bad umpiring, rather common sense to use technology in a game already improved by it. Like the offside rule in football, draw lines and simplify the decision for wides(height, offside and leg-side). Line to be drawn as the batter enters the crease for height. If batter moves across the wide line obviously moves, but measure it and draw a line, don’t let the 3rd umpire have to thumb-suck the decision. Simple and effective,” de Villiers had remarked.
Despite facing setbacks in previous matches, Kohli showcased exceptional batting prowess during the game, propelling RCB's innings forward. Despite the team's mixed performance in the IPL, Kohli's explosive start, accumulating 17 runs from just five deliveries with a flurry of boundaries, highlighted his formidable batting form.
Is Kohli back in form?
After a hiatus from cricketing action lasting over two months, Virat Kohli made a triumphant return in the IPL, displaying no signs of rustiness with the bat. With a century and two half-centuries to his name, Kohli maintains his position at the forefront of the Orange Cap race. His stellar performance against the Knight Riders on Sunday further solidified his lead.
As the deadline for the Indian T20I squad announcement for the upcoming World Cup approaches, the 35-year-old batsman is expected to retain his spot in the lineup.
- With inputs from agencies
