India’s pace sensation, Mohammed Siraj, struck a crucial blow against England late on Day 2 of the Rajkot Test, dismissing their vice-captain, Ollie Pope. In a tense moment, Siraj trapped Pope in front of the stumps during the final session of the day, with a delivery that struck high on the front pad.
Despite the on-field umpire initially denying the appeal, Siraj’s persistence prompted captain Rohit Sharma to opt for the Decision Review System (DRS), which ultimately favoured India. Initially, the impact appeared high on Pope’s front pad, but to the astonishment of many, the DRS displayed three red dots on the big screen, indicating that the ball was on track to hit the stumps.
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Ollie Pope seemed visibly stunned by the decision, while the Indian team erupted in jubilation at the crucial breakthrough. Former England cricketer Michael Vaughan took to Twitter to express his surprise and disappointment with the DRS outcome, echoing the sentiments of several other English supporters who questioned the decision.
“That looked High to me,” Vaughan tweeted, reflecting the general disbelief among fans at the turn of events.
That looked High to me …
— Michael Vaughan (@MichaelVaughan) February 16, 2024
How the hell bowl doesn’t bounce above the wicket from that length.
Absolutely unbelievable. DRS technology shouldn’t be considered as ultimate for decision taking.#INDvsENGTest #INDvENG pic.twitter.com/KoLuTS7apz
— SpidY (@spidy805) February 16, 2024
Is DRS on the blink in this series??
— Paul Newman (@Paul_NewmanDM) February 16, 2024
Will be intrigued to hear Ben Stokes’s view on DRS there…
— Will Macpherson (@willis_macp) February 16, 2024
Is someone cooking the DRS books again? That just didn’t look out.
— frank_morrish (@frank_morrish) February 16, 2024
The dismissal proved pivotal for India, as Siraj managed to dismantle a significant 93-run partnership between Pope and his batting partner. Employing a strategic mix of short balls and a well-disguised fuller delivery, Siraj successfully induced Pope into an early shot, ultimately leading to his dismissal.
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As Day 2 drew to a close, England found themselves at 207 for the loss of 2 wickets in 35 overs, with Ben Duckett standing firm with an aggressive unbeaten century, having scored 133 runs off just 118 balls. Heading into Day 3, England will be aiming to narrow the deficit, trailing India by 238 runs in Rajkot.
