The Umpiring standard of IPL 2024 was once again under the scanner when Travis Head was given not out by the third umpire during the Rajasthan Royals vs Sunrisers Hyderabad match at the Rajiv Gandhi Stadium in Hyderabad on Thursday.
It transpired in the 15th over of the SRH innings when RR pacer Avesh Khan bowled a wide yorker to Head. After moving across his stumps, the SRH batter had a waft at the ball but missed it. Due to the movement at the crease, Head lost his balance and had little clue about the ball’s whereabouts.
RR skipper Sanju Samson sensed this and hurled a sharp throw at the stumps. It seemed like Head was short of his crease to the naked eye. The replays, too, suggested that but third umpire Rohan Pandit thought otherwise.
Pandit said the bat was grounded and gave it not out much to the dismay of commentators Michael Clarke and Sunil Gavaskar. “Surely the bat was in the air,” said the former Australia captain.
The RR dugout could not believe it. Kumar Sangakkara was seen having a heated conversation with the fourth umpire, possibly asking the rationale behind the third umpire’s not-out call.
The decision, however, did not cost RR as Head was out the next ball. Head walked across his stumps, trying to combat Avesh’s wide yorkers, and ended up flicking it back onto his stumps. Gavaskar was quick to add that it was poetic justice. “Karma strikes,” he said on commentary.
Head made full use of an early reprieve by slamming his fourth fifty of the season with a 44-ball 58, while Nitish (76 not out in 42 balls) hit his second half-century en route a 96-run stand off 57 balls for the third wicket.
Nitish and Heinrich Klassen (42 not out off 19) added another 70 off 32 balls to take SRH across the 200-mark for the fifth time this season.
Head, who was dropped by Riyan Parag in the first ball of the innings, hit six fours and three sixes, while Nitish smashed eight maximums and three fours during his brutal assault.
Playing his 300th game, Yuzvendra Chahal, who has been picked for the T20 World Cup, was on the firing line as he was taken apart by the two batters, conceding 62 in his quota of four overs.
Avesh Khan (2/39) produced the first breakthrough, having Abhishek Sharma (12) caught at deep midwicket. Sandeep Sharma (1/31) then claimed a first-ball wicket, removing Anmolpreet Singh (5) as SRH scored 37 for 2 in the powerplay, their lowest this IPL.
The spin duo of Chahal and R Ashwin (0/36), however, disappointed as the batters milked them for runs to set SRH on the road to recovery.
Chahal had a horrible night as Head smashed him for two sixes and a four during an 18-run over after he came on to bowl immediately following the powerplay.
The leg-spinner was then taken apart by Nitish Reddy, who plundered him for two sixes and two fours to accumulate 21 runs as SRH reached 113 for 2 in 13 overs.
Nitish, who also clobbered Ashwin and Avesh for two maximums, then sent Sandeep sailing over extra cover, while Head pulled Avesh for another six in the 15th over.
The Australia, however, played the pacer onto his middle stump as SRH slipped to 131/3.
Nitish then completed his fifty in 30 balls with a single and straightaway launched Ashwin for successive maximums.
New man Klassen then joined the party, sending Chahal into the orbit with back-to-back sixes. When Boult was back, Klassen picked him for two fours, while blasting another six off Sandeep.
