Five biggest cricket controversies of 2024

3. KL Rahul's DRS review in the Perth Test against Australia

On Day 1 of the first Test against Australia at Perth's Optus Stadium, India’s opener KL Rahul was involved in a controversial dismissal. Initially declared not out by the on-field umpire after a caught-behind appeal, Rahul’s dismissal was overturned upon review. The third umpire, Richard Illingworth, relied on UltraEdge technology, which showed a spike as the ball passed close to both the bat and pad.

Despite Rahul’s bat appearing to hit the pad simultaneously, the third umpire ruled that the spike indicated an edge, overturning the on-field call. Surprisingly, this decision was made without conclusive evidence, as the requested front-on angle was unavailable. Generally, the benefit of the doubt in such scenarios upholds the on-field umpire’s decision. Rahul was also seen exchanging words with umpire Richard Kettleborough before walking off.

Also Read: AUS vs IND 2024-25: Simon Taufel dissects KL Rahul's controversial DRS dismissal in Perth Test