IPL 2024: Virat Kohli argues over full-toss dismissal against KKR

RCB’s Virat Kohli discusses his dismissal with the umpire while skipper Faf du Plessi looks on

Controversy erupted at the Eden Gardens on Sunday when Virat Kohli, leading RCB's chase of 223 against KKR, was ruled caught by bowler Harshit Rana when it looked a no-ball to many.

Kohli was on 18 off six balls with a boundary and a couple of sixes when he fended off a full-toss from near his belly. It took the leading edge for Rana to complete the catch. The umpire's review, complete with a heavy dose of technology, revealed that he had stepped out far enough to legitimized the delivery.

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According to the laws of the game, any delivery which passes or would have passed above waist height of the striker standing upright at the popping crease is to be deemed unfair. If the technology had deemed it to be a no-ball, RCB would actually have got a free-hit. Kohli's displeasure was palpable as he walked off.

‘An umpiring decision'

"It's an umpiring decision and we had nothing to do with it," reminded Rana at the post-match media conference. Reece Topley, who was in the gym, came back to attend the media interaction after the team bus had departed. He said the decision was in the "grey area" while stopping short of revealing any displeasure within the team.

‘It's a fine margin'

"The measurements [height, waist height etc] were taken [before the tournament] to get rid of the grey areas, but something happened today that no one had thought of," he said. "The ball was over his waist but he was out of his crease... It's a fine margin. It will be spoken of a lot because of the one-run victory. It's uncharted territory," he added, suggesting that these things should be explained well and that opinions on the dismissal will differ.