An umpire made a shocking decision late on day four in the first Test between India and New Zealand, deeming that Ravichandran Ashwin had trapped Will Young LBW.
But a fractionally late signal to review and an intense hounding from Ashwin meant there was no chance of the call being overturned.
When Young and Tom Latham walked out to open New Zealand’s fourth-innings pursuit of 284, India captain Ajinkya Rahane threw Ashwin the ball.
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And with the final delivery of Ashwin’s second over, the off-spinner drew Young forward and wrapped his front pad, a cacophony of appeals ringing throughout the Kanpur venue.
When the right finger of umpire Virender Sharma was raised, it became clear that Young didn’t agree with the call.
But a puzzled Young did nothing to help his cause, waiting until about a second after the DRS timer hit zero to request a review.
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Ashwin eyeballed Young relentlessly as he and Latham consulted, and when Young made his signal Ashwin remonstrated with the officials, pointing at the DRS timer and shouting.
Young’s request was not accepted and he trudged from the middle, New Zealand suddenly 1-3.
“Took too much time to refer that,” said former India tweaker Murali Kartik on the Fox Cricket broadcast.
“He thought about it because it went very low. It looked touch-and-go. Umpire Virender gave it and they ran out of time (to request a review).
“Not the ideal way to lose a wicket for New Zealand.”
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Former England quick Dominic Cork was baffled.
“Amazing how long they took, Latham and Will Young, to discuss whether they were going to ‘go’ for it,” Cork said.
“Took their time to get together and decided to ‘go’ right at the end.”
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Ashwin’s delivery had kept very low on a wearing pitch and spun aggressively into the front pad of the right-hander.
DRS suggested the ball would have missed leg stump easily.
“That did keep low, and it spun,” said legendary India batter Sunil Gavaskar.
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“That would certainly play on the batsmen’s minds from now on.
“Very unfortunate way to be dismissed.”
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The fall of Young’s wicket prompted New Zealand to send out William Somerville as a nightwatchman.
Somerville and Latham will resume the visitors’ chase at 1-4 on day five.