Technology has become an integral part of the on-field umpires over the past couple of years, with even their basic duties now assigned to TV umpires. However, things went a step too far on Tuesday as Nitin Menon reviewed a wide for no apparent reason other than a potential edge off the bowling of Arjun Tendulkar.
Mumbai Indians have played in the game like that of who has five IPL titles in the bag on Tuesday after a disappointing start to the season as they plundered 192/5 in the first innings on a slow pitch in Hyderabad. They continued momentum with the ball as well, as the hosts were reduced to 26/2 in four overs, and Arjun Tendulkar nearly made it three but his efforts were overshadowed by some hilariously incompetent umpiring.
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After an excellent opening over, Arjun Tendulkar delivered the fourth ball of his second over down the leg side to Rahul Tripathi with the batter looking to make room for himself. However, the delivery ended up being a tad too off-target as it went past Rahul Tripathi’s attempted flick and into the wicketkeeper’s gloves.
However, the ball passed close by the willow, provoking both Ishan Kishan and Arjun Tendulkar to go up in a loud appeal with the latter hopeful of earning his maiden IPL wicket in just his second game of the tournament. Confusion prevailed as instead of making the signal for a wide or raising his finger, umpire Nitin Menon instead started walking towards his square-leg counterpart while speaking through his headset with the third umpire.
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Even Arjun was confused about the incident, only for Arjun Menon to eventually signal to the third umpire to check for a bump ball. Replays showed that the ball had pitched well short of Tripathi and was nowhere close to being a bump ball while also proving that the batter had not got a nick.
Here is the video of the incident:
https://twitter.com/SuryaSh54265109/status/1648362143090196497?s=20
Menon thus signalled wide but immediately received heavy flak from the Twitterati as they accused the umpire of abusing his privilege to go upstairs without providing a clear reason for doing so.
Why did Mennon went for review, it has to MI's review rather than umpire #IPL2O23
— Chhotu Kumar Roy (@ChhotuKuRo1995) April 18, 2023
https://twitter.com/Kruthay/status/1648359673030926341?s=20
I don't why umpire went for refferal on his own instead of giving wide ?? If #MI was so convinced they might gone for review and lost it ???@cricbuzz#SRHvsMI #TATAIPL
— Raghavan (@raghavan_offl) April 18, 2023
Why did the umpire refer it himself? Surprising.. Ideally I would think the umpire goes by his judgement and gives a decision.. and then teams review if they disagree.. #SRHvsMI
— Pradeep Muthu (@muthupradeep) April 18, 2023
What the f**k was that nitin menon, it shld have been a wide and if mi had to appeal they shld hv taken a review !! Which umpire takes third umpire review for a wide ???? #IPL2O23 #MIvsSRH #SRHvsMI
— Iownmytrades🔆 (@PrafulllaPhadke) April 18, 2023
MI is playing… Nepo kid bowling… On off side wide not given, on leg side, umpire takes a review… Guess who is the umpire… #MIvsSRH … How does this guy get all MI matches. If there was doubt, MI should have taken DRS. How come umpire took a review. Will @bcci answer.
— Ajay Sharma (@ajaynvini) April 18, 2023
https://twitter.com/AjetAganIpog/status/1648358544532463617?s=20
Cheating with umpire reviews to try and get Tendulkar a wicket couldn't sum up the IPL better
— TH (@TH161_) April 18, 2023
