Kohli’s Controversial LBW Review Sparks Debate in India-Sri Lanka ODI
During the second ODI between India and Sri Lanka at R Premadasa Stadium in Colombo on Sunday, a contentious LBW review involving Virat Kohli ignited a heated debate. In the final delivery of the 15th over, Akila Dananjaya’s delivery struck Kohli in front of the stumps, prompting an LBW appeal from the Sri Lankan players.
Kohli consulted with non-striker Shubman Gill before opting for a review. The third umpire faced a perplexing dilemma as the UltraEdge technology displayed a spike when the ball passed Kohli’s bat before hitting his pad. However, visual evidence suggested a significant gap between the bat and the ball at the point of impact.
Despite the conflicting evidence, the third umpire ruled in Kohli’s favor, leaving the Sri Lankan fielders and interim head coach Sanath Jayasuriya visibly frustrated. Sri Lanka wicketkeeper Kusal Mendis expressed his exasperation by throwing his helmet on the ground.
The incident sparked a heated discussion on social media, with many questioning the accuracy of the UltraEdge technology and the third umpire’s decision. Some argued that the visual evidence clearly showed the ball missing Kohli’s bat, while others defended the umpire’s call, citing the spike on the UltraEdge as conclusive proof of an edge.
The controversy overshadowed an otherwise impressive performance by Sri Lanka, who defeated India by 32 runs. Leg-spinner Jeffrey Vandersay was the star of the show, claiming six wickets for 33 runs. For India, Rohit Sharma top-scored with 64 runs, while Axar Patel contributed 44.
