Cheating? R Ashwin’s LBW appeal in Adelaide Test sparks another DRS controversy

Team India faced another DRS (Decision Review System) controversy during Day 2 of the second Test against Australia at Adelaide Oval, Adelaide on Saturday, December 7. The incident took place in the 58^th over of the Australian innings bowled by Ravichandran Ashwin who hit Mitchell Marsh on his pads on the third ball. Seeing the batter in front of the stumps, Ashwin immediately went up for an appeal but the on-field umpire didn’t move prompting the India spinner to ask his captain Rohit Sharma to go for the review.

The Indian players discussed among themselves and after agreeing that the ball hit Marsh’s pads first they went for the review. Third umpire Richard Kettleborough had looked at the replays and ran ultra-edge to check whether the ball hit Marsh’s bat or pad first as they were too close to each other. However, he couldn’t find any conclusive evidence there to overturn the on-field umpire’s call.

AUS vs IND 2nd Test Day 2 Live

Hence, the decision stood not out and India had to lose their review. Much to everyone’s surprise, a new angle was shown right after the decision was made which clearly showed that the ball had hit Marsh’s pad first. Former Australia cricketer Matthew Hayden who was on air also questioned that why was the better angle available only after the decision was already made.

“I don’t understand how we get better pictures after the decision has been made,” Hayden said in the commentary box.

Watch the incident here:

A few seconds later, the ball-tracking showed that the ball would’ve gone on to hit the stumps. However, the impact was on umpire’s call which could’ve helped India at least retain their review. Moreover, the on-field umpire assumed that the ball had hit Marsh’s bat instead of his pad and hence didn’t raise his finger. There was no question whatsoever of the impact.

Sunil Gavaskar shares his thoughts on decision

Former India cricketer Sunil Gavaskar also shared his thoughts on the matter and said that there was no overwhelming evidence to overturn the decision.

“It’s not given out when the batter is ahead of the stumps, three metres from the stumps and then it’s not given out, generally. But I think over here the question was whether the ball had hit the bat first or the pads. I think I don’t know exactly what the umpire is saying and which is probably the reason why the TV umpire didn’t have overwhelming evidence to overturn the decision of the on-field umpire, which was not out,” said Gavaskar on the post-tea show.

As a result, Mitchell Marsh survived and Australia went into tea on 200/4 with Travis Head (59*) and Marsh (5*) at the crease leading India by 20 runs.