A fresh controversy erupted on Day 1 of the fifth and final Test between India and England at The Oval, London, centring around on-field umpire Kumar Dharmasena and his swift decision that arguably saved England from a costly DRS blunder. The incident took place during the 13th over of India’s first innings.
The English fast bowler, Josh Tongue, unleashed a sharp, inswinging low full toss that struck young batter Sai Sudharsan flush on the pads, sending him tumbling to the ground. The delivery looked plumb in real time, and England erupted in a loud appeal for LBW.
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However, in a surprising turn of events, umpire Kumar Dharmasena immediately dismissed the appeal and signalled that the ball had taken an inside edge. The speed and confidence of his decision raised eyebrows, as it seemed he was almost eager to prevent England from wasting a review. Replays later confirmed a faint edge off Sai Sudharsan’s bat, but many felt Dharmasena’s quick call had crossed a line.
Indian fans didn’t hold back on social media, accusing Kumar Dharmasena of blatant bias and questioning the integrity of the officiating. Many argued that had the umpire allowed England to review naturally, they would have burned a crucial review on a marginal decision.
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Here is the video of the incident:
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India (Playing XI): Yashasvi Jaiswal, KL Rahul, Sai Sudharsan, Shubman Gill(c), Karun Nair, Ravindra Jadeja, Dhruv Jurel(w), Washington Sundar, Akash Deep, Prasidh Krishna, Mohammed Siraj
England (Playing XI): Zak Crawley, Ben Duckett, Ollie Pope(c), Joe Root, Harry Brook, Jacob Bethell, Jamie Smith(w), Chris Woakes, Gus Atkinson, Jamie Overton, Josh Tongue
