A moment of controversy occurred on the first day of the 5th Test between India and England, although this time it was umpire Kumar Dharmasena rather than a player.
England made a vociferous appeal in the thirteenth over after Josh Tongue’s delivery had found its way onto Sai Sudharsan’s pads. However, the umpire seemed to indicate that the ball had hit the inside edge. England probably would have burned a review if it weren’t for the gesture.
Former Indian batter Sanjay Bangar expressed dissatisfaction with the ruling, stating that the umpire should not have done so in the DRS era.
“These habits don’t go away easily for umpires because it’s second nature to them. Whenever there is an appeal, you try to say it. Because when Dharmasena had started his umpiring career, there was no DRS then. But now, you are not supposed to give a signal on what’s going on in your mind. Or else, the bowler and the bowling team gets a sort of a hint on what’s going on in the umpire’s mind. The umpire should not have done that,” Bangar said on Star Sports.
After a gritty 38-run knock, Sudharsan was caught behind off a delivery by Josh Tongue in the 36th over.
Only six overs were bowled between lunch and tea on Thursday, the rain-soaked first day of the final India-England Test. However, that was enough for India captain Shubman Gill to lose his wicket with a wild run-out to further tilt the series in the home team’s favor.
India, needing victory at The Oval to square the series, reached 204/6 at Stumps which looks a fine score on a tricky surface with overcast conditions.
Dhruv Jurel and Washington Sundar provided able assistance to Karun Nair, who remained watchful throughout his innings.
England had the better of conditions on a rain-marred first day, but didn’t bowl with enough consistency and bowled too many wide deliveries.
Josh Tongue and Gus Atkinson took 2 wickets each. England will most likely be without Woakes on Day 2 and maybe the rest of this Test, as he hurt his left shoulder while diving to protect a boundary.
After 14 fruitless appeals last year, stand-in captain Ollie Pope eventually got on the right side of a DRS review when Atkinson, who was England’s fastest bowler on Day 1, dismissed Yashasvi Jaiswal LBW in the fifth over.
KL Rahul, who had amassed over 500 runs in the first four matches, appeared comfortable at the crease before chopping on while attempting a cut shot off Chris Woakes, departing for 14.
