KL Rahul’s dismissal during the opening session of the first Border-Gavaskar Trophy Test in Perth became a major talking point. The Indian opener, who was batting confidently at 26, fell victim to a controversial decision following an Australian review on the stroke of lunch on Day 1.
Initially, on-field umpire Richard Kettleborough ruled Rahul not out. However, the decision was overturned after the third umpire, Richard Illingworth, spotted a spike on Snicko, suggesting an edge off Mitchell Starc’s delivery. Replays, however, showed a possibility that the spike resulted from Rahul’s bat hitting his pad, leaving the batter visibly shocked.
Rahul expressed disbelief, engaging in a brief exchange with the on-field umpires before departing. The decision drew criticism from former cricketers and fans alike, questioning the third umpire’s evidence to overturn the on-field call.
Expert Reactions
Ravi Shastri, calling the game for Fox Cricket, shared his doubts:
“Was there enough evidence for the third umpire to overrule? I didn’t see enough, to be honest.”
Robin Uthappa voiced his frustration on X (formerly Twitter):
“How a third umpire makes a decision without accessing all angles!! Poor!! Just Piss poor!! #BGT2025.”
How a third umpire makes a decision without accessing all angles!! Poor!! Just Piss poor!! #BGT2025
— Robbie Uthappa (@robbieuthappa) November 22, 2024
Aakash Chopra also expressed disapproval, criticizing the lack of conclusive evidence in the review process.
The incident has reignited discussions about the effectiveness and consistency of the Decision Review System (DRS) in high-stakes matches.
The Indian team could manage only 150 runs in their first innings.
