Waist of a wicket!

Former players and social media abuzz about legality of the high full-toss that led to controversial dismissal of RCB opener Virat Kohli against KKR at Eden Gardens

The controversy surrounding Virat Kohli’s dismissal during Sunday’s match between Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) against the Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) has gone viral on social media.

The RCB opener was ruled out caught and bowled off a Harshit Rana full toss, which the batsman felt should have been called a no-ball. Former cricketers too have joined the fray with their expert opinions, and the striking aspect of all this is the lack of convergence. There seems to be as many thumbs ups as thumbs downs to the third umpire’s decision—a verdict whose perceived impact on the match magnified many times in the wake of RCB’s last-ball defeat by the narrowest of margins—one run.

A legal delivery: Pathan

While the likes of former India batters Navjot Singh Sidhu and Mohammad Kaif are crying “not out,” former India pacer Irfan Pathan interprets the rule, declaring Kohli “out”.

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RCB opener Virat Kohli is dejected after being dismissed off a high full-toss at Eden Gardens, Kolkata, on Sunday. Pics/AFP

“If it was a fast delivery, it would’ve been deemed to be above waist height, but this was a slower one that was dipping. It was a legal delivery,” Irfan reasoned.
Sidhu questioned the technology and the trajectory it proffered, showing the ball would have passed the popping crease at a height of 0.92 meters, below Kohli’s waist height of 1.04m as per pre-tournament measurements that have been taken by the organisers. Sidhu went on to take the debate to another space by bashing the new technology-aided decision for as having legalised the beamer. “In our times, bowlers apologised if they accidently delivered one [beamer],” he said. “If you have to change something [read rules], it should be for the better,” he added.

May have got away, says Salt

Phil Salt, KKR’s dashing opener, was close to the action and knew how close a call this one was. “Feels like we may have got away with one there,” said the wicketkeeper on Monday before Knight Golf, KKR’s annual charity project. “It’s new to the game; maybe in 12 months time there’ll be a review to find out whether it’s working or not. From a player’s point of view, any time you are using data and technology, it’s good for the game,” he added.

Ironically, the use of tracking technology was aimed at removing such controversies by being precise and bereft of human error. Who knew there would still be so much grey and grouse?

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