There is a big loophole in the rules of cricket when it comes to the Decision Review System (DRS). The flaw was exposed during the Mumbai Indians’ home game vs Royal Challengers Bengaluru in Indian Premier League 2025 on Monday. The incident took place on the final ball of the RCB innings. MI pacer Jasprit Bumrah bowled a yorker to RCB’s Jitesh Sharma. The batter missed the shot, and it hit his pad. The umpire raised his finger to the appeal of MI players, but Jitesh, who had taken a run post that, decided to go upstairs.
Replays revealed that the ball was pitched outside off-stump and the impact was out too. Since, Jitesh had offered a shot, he was declared not out by the third umpire. Notably, had he not offered the shot, the line of the ball would have been projected after the position of impact.
While Jitesh was eventually given not out, RCB were denied the run due to a rule of cricket. It is worth noting that a ball is deemed dead once the ground umpire gives its verdict. Now, even if runs come post that, it will not be be considered. This is why RCB were not given the last single.
Out-of-favour India batter Hanuma Vihari pointed it out, asking for a change in the rule.
“Need for a change in the rule,” he wrote on X, formerly Twitter.
Need for a change in the rule.
If you saw the last ball of RCB’s innings, Jitesh was given out on field and was reviewed and umpire had to overturn his decision because the impact was outside off stump. The problem is the run wouldn’t count, if umpire would not given it out,the…
— Hanuma vihari (@Hanumavihari) April 7, 2025
“If you saw the last ball of RCB’s innings, Jitesh was given out on field and was reviewed, andthe umpire had to overturn his decision because the impact was outside off stump. The problem is that the run wouldn’t count, if umpire had not given it out, the run would’ve counted.
“What if it’s the second innings and 2 needed of 1 ball? The result of the match would’ve been determined by the decision of the umpire. Food for thought?”
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