Twitter users, cricketers come down heavily on umpire Anil Chaudhary for big error
Third umpire Anil Chaudhary was criticized by noted cricketers and Twitter users for his error that gave a life India's Ajinkya Rahane on Day 1 of India vs England 2nd Test in Chennai.
Third umpire Anil Chaudhary faced the heat from the cricketing fraternity and Twitter users after his error resulted in India batsman Ajinkya Rahane getting a life during the second Test match against England in Chennai on Saturday.
Australia all-rounder Glenn Maxwell and former India opener Gautam Gambhir were some of them noted cricketers to criticise umpire Chaudhary for not looking at the complete replay while reviewing a bat-pad appeal against Rahane of left-arm spinner Jack Leach’s bowling the final session of Day 1.
“That wasn't the right thing. Obviously, the third umpire needs to look into everything. And I'm sure, had he [Rahane] stayed a little longer, England would have been very, very unhappy,” Gambhir said on the Star Sports Network.
“How can a third umpire not look at that?” tweeted Maxwell.
Here’s how Twitter reacted to third umpire Anil Chaudhary’s error concerning Rahane
England were left frustrated and their captain Joe Root miffed after the decision not only gave Rahane a life but England also lost a review.
However, a few moments after it became clear that Chaudhary had erred, England's review was reinstated.
The incident took place in the 75th over of the day when a Jack Leach delivery brushed Rahane's gloves on the way to the forward short-leg fielder Ollie Pope. As England appealed for a catch off the gloves, it was turned down by the on-field umpire before Chaudhary, failing to read the correct passage of play, also rejected the review thinking that the ball had landed outside the leg-stump and that the visitors had appealed for an LBW.
However, the visitors appeared to clarify that they were appealing for a catch off the glove and not the bat. Seeing the replays on the big screen, Root was left unimpressed and the skipper also raised the matter with the on-field umpires. Chaudhary turned down that also as England lost a review.
The review was later restored to England as per ICC playing conditions.
As per 3.6.8 of the ICC's playing conditions: A Player Review categorised as 'Unsuccessful' may be reinstated by the ICC Match Referee at his/her sole discretion (if appropriate after consultation with the ICC Technical Official and/or the television broadcast director) if the Player Review could not properly be concluded due to a failure of the technology.
Rahane, though, was dismissed six balls later, bowled by Moeen Ali for 67. There was also some issue over a stumping attempt by Ben Foakes against Rohit Sharma when he appeared to drag his backfoot to a Leach delivery.
Though TV replays showed Rohit's backfoot to be on the line, the third umpire reckoned some part of it was behind the line and ruled him not out.
(with PTI inputs)
