India Vs West Indies contest will be remembered for so many things Virat’s half-century, Shami’s valiant spell of 4 wicket haul, Bumrah’s missed hattrick, but one of those prominent incidences is the controversial decision given by 3rd umpire to dismiss Rohit Sharma.
Rohit Sharma along with Virat Kohli are the two pillars of Indian batting in the ongoing World Cup. After winning the toss, Virat made Windies to Field first. Rohit was looking comfortable having had hit a 4 and a six in the very first 6 overs.
Kemar Roach bowled a sensational delivery to Rohit, beating him all lengths up. Roach got one to swing into the right-handed batsman and Rohit had no clue as the ball seemed to go past his inside edge. The West Indian players appealed hard and were confident that Rohit got an inside edge onto the wicketkeeper. Rohit, on the other hand, seemed confident that he has missed the ball.
On-field umpire Richard Illingworth decided it to be not-out but West Indies captain Jason Holder went for the review.
The replays failed to produce conclusive evidence. There were many replays seen by the TV umpire, yet nobody was sure whether the ball had taken the inside edge or brushed on the Rohit’s pads to the wicketkeeper Shai Hope. Not taking much time but checking various replays through a couple of angles, 3rd umpire Michael Gough ruled it out.
In case of such inconclusive evidence, the 3rd umpire generally asks the on-field umpire to stay with the original decision, yet this case was exceptional. Everyone in the stadium and expecting on the other sides of the screen was in complete disbelief, including Rohit’s wife Ritika Sajdeh- Sharma, who was watching the proceedings from Old Trafford stand.
Umpiring has been a point of decision for some time now, right from the Windies- Australia game where lots of on-field decisions were overturned by the 3RD umpire. But in Rohit’s case, it’s the 3RD umpire himself who has seemed to have made a fault.
