Watch: Virat Kohli Confronts the Umpire on Mitchell Marsh’s Controversial DRS Call 

Virat Kohli was at the center of yet another Decision Review System (DRS) controversy during the second day of the pink-ball Test in Adelaide. The Indian captain voiced his displeasure after Mitchell Marsh survived a close LBW call in the first session, thanks to the third umpire’s interpretation of the snicko and lack of conclusive evidence.

The Mitchell Marsh DRS Incident 

In the 58th over of Australia’s innings, Marsh faced Ravichandran Ashwin. Stepping down the pitch, Marsh was struck on the pad with his bat close to the ball. On-field umpire Richard Illingworth ruled it not out, prompting Indian skipper Rohit Sharma to call for DRS.

Replays showed a spike on the snicko as the ball passed close to both bat and pad. The third umpire, Richard Kettleborough, was unconvinced about whether the ball hit the pad or bat first. He decided not to overturn the on-field decision, allowing Marsh to stay at the crease.

“I wasn’t convinced if it was bat or pad first,” Kettleborough was heard saying during the broadcast. The Hawkeye technology, which determines the trajectory of the ball, wasn’t even consulted.

Joe Root Creates History: First England Player with 100 Fifty-Plus Scores in Tests

Virat Kohli Confronts the Umpire 

The decision sparked frustration in the Indian camp. Virat Kohli even walked up to umpire Illingworth to express his dissatisfaction. He reminded the umpire of an almost identical case related to KL Rahul during the first Test.

“KL’s was the same in Perth—two spikes, bat and pad,” Kohli told Illingworth.

Watch the incident here: 

During the Perth Test, Rahul had been given out despite inconclusive angles, with the third umpire reversing the on-field decision. Kohli’s frustration reflected India’s concerns over the inconsistency in applying DRS protocols.

At the time of the incident, Marsh had yet to score. By lunch, he had managed to scrape two runs off 10 balls, with Australia at 191/4, holding an 11-run lead. The early reprieve, however, could prove pivotal in a closely contested match. Marsh was eventually dismissed by Ravichandran Ashwin for 9. 

Stay updated with all the cricketing action, and follow Cricadium on WhatsApp, Facebook, Twitter, Telegram, and Instagram.