In the second session of the match, more drama unfolded, sparking a big debate over the DRS system.
New Zealand, led by Tom Latham, continued to dominate India in the first Test at the M Chinnaswamy Stadium in Bengaluru. After bowling out India for just 46 runs, New Zealand put up a strong batting performance. Left-hander Rachin Ravindra was the top scorer for the team, hitting his first century in India during the Test match. But the game got intense in the second session, as a controversial DRS decision became the center of attention.
On the first ball of the 89th over, there was a questionable moment. India appealed after the ball seemed to pass Rachin Ravindra’s bat without touching it. Dhruv Jurel caught the ball confidently, and the on-field umpire, Michael Gough, declared Ravindra out.
Ravindra, after consulting with Ajaz Patel, who was at the other end, reluctantly decided to review the decision. The UltraEdge technology showed a small spike, but it was after the ball had already passed the bat. Third umpire Richard Illingworth noticed a gap between the ball and bat, so he overturned the original decision, giving Ravindra another chance to continue batting.
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DRS decision leads to huge debate on commentary
As soon as the decision was made, commentators Harsha Bhogle and Ian Smith shared their thoughts on air. Harsha Bhogle mentioned reading an article by former ICC Elite Umpire Simon Taufel.
“Simon Taufel wrote that if there’s a spike on UltraEdge after the ball has passed the bat, the third umpire can still accept it,” Bhogle said during commentary.
At this point, Ian Smith pointed out Virat Kohli, who was standing at first slip. When the replay was shown, it was clear that Kohli didn’t react at all to the situation.
Harsha Bhogle then joked that if there was a list of the most expressive people in the world, Virat Kohli would top it. He praised Ian Smith’s observation as “spot on.”
In the ongoing Test between India and New Zealand, the visitors were all out for 402 in their first innings, giving them a big lead of 356 runs.
Rachin Ravindra was the standout performer for New Zealand, scoring 134 runs from 157 balls, with 13 fours and four sixes. Kuldeep Yadav was the best Indian bowler, taking three wickets.
