IND vs AUS 1st Test: KL Rahul's dismissal sparks DRS controversy | WATCH

The much-anticipated India tour of Australia 2024-25 got off to a nightmare start for Jasprit Bumrah's men, with four batters dismissed for a meagre 51 runs by the end of the first session on Day 1 of the Perth Test. Adding to India’s woes, KL Rahul’s controversial dismissal via a Decision Review System (DRS) call became the focal point of the early drama, overturning the on-field umpire’s decision of not out.  Check IND vs AUS 1st Test Day 2 LIVE SCORE AND MATCH UPDATES HERE 

 

India's top-order collapses early 

The first blow came in just the third over when Yashasvi Jaiswal, attempting a drive outside off, edged a delivery with extra bounce straight to debutant Nathan McSweeney in the gully region. The young opener’s departure set the tone for a turbulent morning.

 

 

KL Rahul, determined to steady the ship, showed grit as he ground out valuable time at the crease, carefully leaving deliveries outside the off-stump. However, the procession continued as Devdutt Padikkal, looking solid until then, succumbed to a spectacular Josh Hazlewood delivery, edging to the keeper.

 

Veteran batter Virat Kohli walked in next and began confidently, combining his trademark defence and backfoot punches to counter the Australian attack. But Hazlewood struck again with a searing delivery that took Kohli’s gloves and lobbed to first slip, leaving India in deep trouble.

 

The DRS drama: KL Rahul's controversial dismissal

  The moment of contention arrived in the 23rd over of India’s innings. A delivery from Hazlewood angled across off-stump, prompting a defensive shot from Rahul. A loud appeal for caught behind followed, but umpire Richard Illingworth remained unmoved. Australia immediately called for DRS.

 

Replays revealed two distinct noises as the ball passed Rahul’s bat. While Snicko registered a spike, it was unclear whether the sound came from the ball brushing the bat or from contact with the pad. Despite the ambiguity, the third umpire overturned the on-field decision, ruling Rahul out.

 

The opener, visibly frustrated, trudged back to the pavilion, shaking his head in disbelief. The decision sparked heated debates among fans and experts, with many questioning the reliance on inconclusive evidence in high-stakes scenarios. 

"His pad and bat are not together at that point in time as the ball passes.  "It's (bat hitting pad) after, in fact, the ball passes the edge. Does Snicko pick up the sound of the bat hitting the pad?  "We're assuming (Snicko) may be the outside edge of the bat but that may not… pic.twitter.com/hvG0AF9rdo

— 7Cricket (@7Cricket) November 22, 2024

 

India on the back foot 

Rahul’s dismissal added to India’s woes, leaving them in dire straits against a relentless Australian attack. As the dust settles on a dramatic first session, India faces an uphill battle to recover from the early blows and establish a foothold in the opening Test of the Border-Gavaskar Trophy.   

KL Rahul is not being troubled by bowlers, it's his luck that is troubling him.???? #INDvsAUS pic.twitter.com/qGP2MKxit4

— Kunal Yadav (@Kunal_KLR) November 22, 2024

   

No matter how much technology is used in cricket, till humans are there in decision making, mistakes will keep happening, given not out on field, overturned without any conclusive evidence, poor call from third umpire as usual against KL Rahul & India ????#INDvsAUS | #BGT2025 pic.twitter.com/6GxCkrwxM5

— Kriti Singh (@kritiitweets) November 22, 2024