'There was a clear spike on the screen' - Ashish Nehra on third umpire adjudging Devdutt Padikkal not-out

The match between Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB) and Punjab Kings (PBKS) on Sunday witnessed a controversial call from the third umpire. Devdutt Padikkal was adjudged not-out shockingly despite the ultra edge showing a clear spike when the ball was close to the bat. However, the TV umpire, K Srinivasan ignored it while stating that the ball has not touched the bat at all.

The incident took place in the 8th over of the innings when Ravi Bishnoi was bowling. Padikkal, after missing many googly deliveries from the leggie, finally tried to reverse sweep and in the process, gloved the ball to the wicketkeeper KL Rahul. A vociferous appeal followed and after the umpire didn’t give it out, a confident Rahul took the review only to be denied a wicket thanks to the third umpire who didn’t spot the spike.

Former India cricketer Ashish Nehra was also shocked to see that being given not-out and felt there was no doubt at all. “If you ask me, it was out. there was no benefit of doubts. There was a clear spike on the screen. KL Rahul had picked a great catch, but third umpire gave it not out,” Nehra said while speaking to Cricbuzz.

Nehra gives his opinion on Rahul Tripathi’s low catch

Another catch which is hogging the limelight is the one Rahul Tripathi took during the game between PBKS and KKR last week. In the penultimate over, Tripathi had dived forward to take a very good catch in the deep but after multiple replays, the third umpire gave him not-out. In this case, Ashish Nehra felt there was a little doubt about the ball touching the ground and hence, the benefit of doubt went to the batter.

“Once KKR’s Rahul Tripathi picked a catch of KL Rahul during a match. I am not a big fan of concepts of soft signals. The umpires are standing far away, and they sometimes are unable to see all the things happening on the field. So, if you have placed a third umpire, I feel they should make entire judgment on it.

“But then again, sometimes there are doubts even on camera whether the ball had hit the ground or not, so sometimes benefit of doubts are given to batter,” Nehra further added.