Internet divided over RR player Riyan Parag's controversial dismissal against GT in IPL 2025: ‘Ridiculous umpiring’

The internet remained sharply divided after Rajasthan Royals’ Riyan Parag was controversially given out by the third umpire during their IPL 2025 clash against Gujarat Titans at the Narendra Modi Stadium in Ahmedabad on Wednesday night.

The incident occurred in the seventh over, bowled by GT’s left-arm pacer Kulwant Khejroliya. Parag was adjudged caught behind, but the RR batter immediately opted for a DRS review. The decision raised eyebrows as it initially appeared to be a straightforward dismissal. Replays showed a spike on UltraEdge as the ball passed the bat, but there was also clear contact with the ground at the same time. Riyan looked visibly unhappy and was seen having a brief exchange with the umpire before the third umpire upheld the on-field call.

What followed was a display of frustration. Riyan appeared agitated, argued with the on-field umpire despite the faint edge being evident on the replay, and needed to be calmed down by pacer Mohammed Siraj. Instead of heading straight to the dugout, he stormed up the stairs and smashed his bat near the team entrance.

Social media was abuzz after the incident, with users split in opinion. While some questioned the third umpire’s decision and highlighted the possibility of an error, others felt Riyan should have accepted the ruling and maintained his composure, cautioning that his outburst could invite disciplinary action.

Earlier, GT after electing to bat first, suffered an early setback as skipper Shubman Gill was dismissed for just 2 runs by Jofra Archer. However, Sai Sudharsan and Jos Buttler steadied the ship with an 80-run partnership. Sudharsan’s 82 off 53 balls (8 fours, 3 sixes) and a blistering cameo by Shahrukh Khan (36 off 20) powered GT to 217/6. In response, RR lost Yashasvi Jaiswal (6) and Nitish Rana (1) cheaply. Riyan and skipper Sanju Samson provided some momentum, adding 48 runs for the third wicket, before Parag’s controversial dismissal for 26 off 14 balls. Only Shimron Hetmyer showed resistance thereafter, scoring 52 off 32 balls, but the rest of the batting faltered. Rajasthan were eventually bowled out for 159 in 19.2 overs, which saw GT win the match by 58 runs.