An umpiring + technology controversy has grabbed eyeballs, more than the cricketing action in the IPL 2024. Everyone is talking about it. In the clash between the Rajasthan Royals and the Delhi Capitals at the Arun Jaitley Stadium in New Delhi, Sanju Samson’s dismissal was on everyone’s lips.
While the Rajasthan fans were convinced that their skipper was wrongly given out, Delhi camp was confident that the right decision was made.
DC posted 221 on the scoreboard batting first, and Rajasthan were in the hunt with skipper Sanju Samson still in the middle. With 60 runs required in less than fives overs to go, Samson was a man on a mission for the Royals.
Little did the fans knew what was in store. The 16th over, bowled by Delhi pacer Mukesh Kumar produced high voltage drama, that fans will not forget for a very long time.
Off the fourth ball Samson decided to go for a big six, but failed to connect it cleanly.
As soon as Samson hit the ball, he knew there might be trouble because Shai Hope was positioned far away at long-on. The ball flew fast towards Hope, who caught it without stepping on the boundary cushions.
It looked like Hope had caught the ball cleanly and might have sealed the game for the Delhi Capitals. Replays seemed to confirm this, but one angle made it unclear if the catch was valid. However, the third umpire trusted the first two replays and quickly decided that Samson was out.
Samson was all in shock and clearly unhappy with the umpiring decision made. Sanju’s emotions overtook his mind as he went on showing his emotions in the middle of the field. Finally, after some uncertainty, Samson accepted the decision and left the field, looking unhappy about what had happened.
One of the cricketing greats and famous voices of the sport, Navjot Singh Siddhu expressed his disbelief over the latest DRS technology on live camera.
“The decision that changed the game was Sanju Samson’s dismissal. There could be differences of opinion, but if you look at the side-on angle, it touches the boundary twice. It was pretty clear. Either you don’t use technology, or if you’re using it and the technology is making a mistake, it’s like there’s a fly in milk, and someone asks you to drink it,” Sidhu said on Star Sports.
Both teams had their reasons for their positions, but what surprised many was how quickly the third umpire made a decision in this case. This season, the BCCI introduced the Smart Review System to speed up third umpire calls, yet in some instances, like deciding on wide balls, the process took a long time. Ironically, there was a wide call just a couple of overs after Samson got out that took much longer to decide than confirming Hope’s catch. This inconsistency in umpiring has led to heated debates.
Gone are the times when the verdict used to be in the favour of the batters. The contemporary cricketing era has been changing the dimensions of the game. With the inclusion of fast paced t20s, the decision making perhaps has shifted to the bowlers’ side. In shorter formats, it has been very evident that everyone wants to fasten things up given the way umpires made their decisions.
If it had been someone like M.S. Dhoni, things both on and off the field might have unfolded differently. The decision-making panel might have taken more time to thoroughly analyse the situation before reaching a verdict. Fans would likely have been more invested and concerned, showing greater interest in the matter.
Amidst the great cricket played by both teams, unfortunately, the discussion about the Samson catch will remain one of the main topics.
The Sportz Planet Desk,
Atharva Shetye.
