The first DRS controversy of the summer has erupted after a fuming KL Rahul was given his marching orders in the opening session of the first Border-Gavaskar Test.
The Australians launched a review after Rahul (26 off 74 balls) was given not out for a caught-behind appeal off a sizzling Mitchell Starc delivery.
A clear spike showed up on Snicko, but whether that was at the moment of the ball passing the bat or the bat hitting the pad remained unclear.
Rahul was eventually given out by TV umpire Richard Illingworth, despite the captured moment of the snick sound being between two frames, and the opener was visibly fuming when the decision was made.
The 32-year-old appeared to indicate the bat had made contact with his pad only and not the ball.
Rahul’s departure left India in all sorts of trouble at 4-47.
“I think there was enough doubt there not to overturn the decision,” former Test star Mike Hussey told Fox Sports.
Test great Mark Waugh added: “That’s a very brave decision given the evidence we’ve seen there. Unfortunately KL Rahul has got to cop it sweet.”
Umpiring expert Simon Taufel believes the right decision was made.
“Umpires are looking for conclusive evidence. There were a few gremlins at the start of that review, being the first Test where he didn’t get some camera angles he was asking for,” Taufel told the Seven Network.
“Richard Illingworth had a tough job there.
“In my view the ball does graze the outside edge, which has caused the scuff marks, but then the bat goes on to hit the pad.
“We saw with that side-on shot, there was a spike in RTS with the bat away from the pad. In other words, the bottom of the bat hadn’t reached the pad.
“Therefore, rolling that through in its natural (motion) you may have seen that second spike come through had it been rolled all the way through.”
Content Source: www.perthnow.com.au