×

Recalling Tendulkar’s Dubious LBW Call vs PAK in 2011 World Cup; Move on Virat Kohli & India As There is a Test Series to be Won in South Africa

With DRS, India at times, have also had the rub of the green go their way. Just that it didn't happen today when Dean Elgar was possibly OUT but given NOT OUT by the third umpire based on the evidence he had.

New Delhi, Elgar DRS Controversy: There is every reason for India and captain Virat Kohli to be upset about, even more so given the context of the game and the importance it may carry with the series on the line. But Kohli must ensure that we move on, leave it behind us and it doesn’t impact the morale of the team. After all, there is still a Test match to be won and with that, a historic Test series win in South Africa. So, it is bigger than we think.

Dean Elgar was OUT. As simple as that. But Elgar can’t be blamed, nor the South African team for what technology throws up and in this case, it was a DRS howler — a word (howler) we use too often to justify using the technology but it seems to have backfired here. And this is not the first instance. It has happened several times in the past and will continue to happen in the near future because nothing in this world is 100 per cent full proof. Neither is technology nor the Decision Review System.

Going back to the World Cup semi-final in 2011 against Pakistan, Sachin Tendulkar was trapped in front of his stumps and it looked out from the naked eye. Saeed Ajmal had no doubt in his mind that it was hitting the stumps and even today, at times, he finds it difficult to believe that it was given not out.

The incident happened in the 11th over of the innings with Tendulkar batting on 24. He went to live a charmed life that day with Pakistan dropping him on three occasions. The little Master was dismissed for 85 but more importantly, India went on to win the match and then the 2011 World Cup.

Sometimes, the rub of the green doesn’t go your way. The DRS is one such thing, where sometimes it allows you to live a charmed life and other times it might work against you. But at the end of the day, cricket is a great leveller and it evens out, very similar to umpiring decisions where some decisions go your way and some don’t.

The Indian team needs to put this behind them, take it in the chin and move on. The visitors didn’t bowl badly at all in Johannesburg. It was just that they played and missed a lot but just didn’t find the edge. We were unlucky. Let’s hope that doesn’t happen tomorrow. If it all, it should fire you up. All in all, we have an absolute cracker of a match in our hands. A decider — worthy of a decider.

 

trending this week