On Day 4 of the second Test between India and England, confusion reigned supreme as Ravichandran Ashwin was denied his 500th Test wicket due to a perplexing Decision Review System (DRS) call. The incident unfolded in the second session of the fourth day in Vizag.
India’s off-spinner, Ravichandran Ashwin, appeared to dismiss England’s Tom Hartley in the final innings of the match. Umpire Chris Gaffaney gave his decision in favour of India, signalling Hartley out. However, the England spinner promptly referred the decision to the third umpire.
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Upon drama around DRS review, it was revealed that the ball had struck Hartley’s forearm, with both the impact on the forearm and hitting the stumps adjudged as ‘umpire’s call.’ Despite the initial decision, the third umpire overturned the on-field call and deemed it not out.
#IndvEng Glove not found…
Given NOT OUT in DRS..
It was given OUT!! on field…
Hartley survives.. Ashwin stuck on 499 pic.twitter.com/LYa4hCWFxJ
— Anurag Sinha (@anuragsinha1992) February 5, 2024
The turn of events left the Indian team visibly confused, prompting them to question the on-field umpire’s decision. Commentators Eoin Morgan and Ravi Shastri found themselves unable to provide a clear explanation, contributing to the overall bewilderment surrounding the incident.
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Breaking down the sequence of events:
- The ball hit Hartley’s forearm and bounced up, resulting in a catch at leg slip.
- Initially called ‘Caught Behind,’ Hartley referred the decision to check for a possible edge.
- The third umpire, finding no edge, altered the on-field call to ‘NOT OUT.’
- Importantly, the LBW decision was not under question, as the on-field umpire had called ‘NOT OUT’ for the ball hitting Hartley’s hand and the subsequent impact on the stumps falling under ‘UMPIRE’s CALL.’
The confusion stemming from this incident added an unexpected twist to the proceedings, leaving players, fans, and commentators grappling for clarity.
