The excitement of seeing Virat Kohli return to Test cricket today was ruined because of a debatable umpiring decision that had him walk back to the pavilion for a duck.
Virat was declared out LBW on New Zealand’s Ajaz Patel delivery, but a look at the replay suggests that the ball hit the bat first.
Kohli was clearly not out! It was the bat first and then the pad. Umpire stop making silly mistakes! Like you can clearly see bat was first! Disappointed with your decision umpire#umpire #ViratKohli pic.twitter.com/2OKmtxLNEg
— Cricket Animations (@MyAnimation5) December 3, 2021
Virat decided to review the initial decision but the third umpire upheld the call, leading to a chain of reactions on social media.
Inconclusive evidence shouldn’t mask the quality of the decision…or the lack of it. #IndvNZ
— Aakash Chopra (@cricketaakash) December 3, 2021
Seriously. This is not out. Very unlucky Virat Kohli here. pic.twitter.com/Sc5fD3Wuil
— CricketMAN2 (@man4_cricket) December 3, 2021
#Kohli decision was definitely not out. Yes, NZ has made a terrific comeback in this session but they also benefited from ‘VIRAT’LBW verdict. #INDvsNZTestSeries #NZvInd
— parthiv patel (@parthiv9) December 3, 2021
Here it begins.
— Yogen (45) (@frontFootPuller) December 3, 2021
Kohli was Clearly not out but given as out.
Bat first, no doubt#ViratKohli#IndvsNZtest #INDvNZ #NZvsInd #NZvIND pic.twitter.com/gGwwjDf0rt
How was that OUT? Felt Kohli got a faint inside edge before the ball hit the pad. Third umpire needed conclusive evidence. Tough luck. What do you think?
— Sarang Bhalerao (@bhaleraosarang) December 3, 2021
How The F* Is That Out?#IndvsNZtest pic.twitter.com/RkTXWBYQ4x
— Virat Kohli Kingdom (@imvkohlikingdom) December 3, 2021
#umpire virat kohli not out 😡😡😡😡😡 pic.twitter.com/3PBuFMP5K2
— Santosh Murtadak (@SantoshMurtada1) December 3, 2021
Third umpire while giving kohli out #ViratKohli #IndvsNZtest pic.twitter.com/Mdtydpq97b
— Siddharth Singh Bhardwaj (@yeshusid) December 3, 2021
The 2-match series stands tied right now and both teams are trying to end things in their favour. The first Test, which was played in Kanpur, turned out to be a thriller, with New Zealand tail-enders holding the fort till the last ball. Before this, the two sides played a 3-match T20 series that India won 3-0.
Tough luck for Kohli today though.
