Day 2 of the first Test between India and Bangladesh in Chennai was packed with drama and excitement. India, after putting up a total of 376, lost their last four wickets for just 27 runs. Hasan Mahmud impressed once again with a consecutive five-wicket haul, and Taskin Ahmed contributed by picking up three wickets. Despite the collapse, the Indian bowlers struck back hard, reducing Bangladesh to 26/3 by lunch, with Akash Deep making a strong impact. In just 120 minutes, the game saw 7 wickets fall, hinting at a possible three-day finish. It was clear that only one team was dominating this Test match, and it wasn’t Bangladesh.
In the second innings, everything seemed to be going in India’s favor. The pacers were in prime form, with both Akash and Jasprit Bumrah picking up early wickets. However, there was one hiccup for India, and it involved a Decision Review System (DRS) error by captain Rohit Sharma concerning Bangladesh opener Zakir Hasan. During the fourth over, Mohammed Siraj had Hasan trapped on the pads with what seemed to be a plumb LBW. Although Siraj was adamant about going for the review after the umpire turned down the appeal, Rohit, after consulting wicketkeeper Rishabh Pant, decided against it.
The stump mic caught Rohit discussing the delivery with Pant, asking, “Is it going above? No? Drifting down leg?” Pant’s assessment convinced Rohit not to go for the review. However, the replay soon revealed that Pant’s judgment was off, as the ball-tracking showed three reds, confirming Hasan was indeed out. Although the decision didn’t significantly impact India, as Akash soon bowled Hasan for 4, Siraj was visibly disappointed, missing out on a well-deserved wicket.
Ravi Shastri, commentating at the time, perfectly encapsulated the situation when he humorously remarked, “Don’t show Siraj the replay. He won’t be a happy chappy, that’s for sure,” in his signature booming voice.
When the replay was displayed on the giant screen, Siraj appeared confused and disheartened, while Rohit, with a sheepish smile, raised his arms in a gesture of apology. Pant, realizing his mistake, mirrored Rohit’s gesture. Siraj, despite his impressive bowling under the sweltering Chennai heat, was left baffled. He was probably frustrated as his effort, pace, and accuracy deserved the reward of a wicket.
Shastri further analyzed the situation, explaining that Siraj’s delivery angle, being close to the stumps, significantly increased the chances of an LBW. “When you bowl from such a tight angle, especially from close to the stumps, the likelihood of leg before is much higher compared to deliveries from the center or wide of the crease. The ball has a better chance of swinging in from off stump, making it a tricky call.”
In the end, while the DRS decision didn’t hurt India’s position in the match, it certainly deprived Siraj of a well-earned dismissal, and served as a reminder that even the best can sometimes misjudge the situation on the field.
