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On Day 3 of the third Test match between India and New Zealand, Rishabh Pant‘s dismissal sparked significant controversy, drawing attention from South Africa cricket legend AB de Villiers. He voiced his thoughts on X (formerly Twitter), questioning the decision and the technology used in the game.
Rishabh Pant’s controversial wicket on Day 3 of third Test
Pant was dismissed in the 22nd over of India’s second innings, a pivotal moment as the team pursued a competitive target. Ajaz Patel bowled to Pant, who attempted to step down the pitch but was caught by wicketkeeper Tom Blundell. Patel and the New Zealand team erupted in a celebratory appeal, but the on-field umpire Richard Illingworth initially remained unmoved. New Zealand captain Tom Latham then called for a review, and UltraEdge detected a faint noise as the ball passed Pant’s bat. However, it was unclear whether this noise resulted from the ball contacting the bat or the bat hitting Pant’s pad.
The third umpire, Paul Reiffel, reviewed multiple angles and eventually overturned the initial not-out decision, ruling Pant out. Despite his objections and visible disappointment, Pant had to accept the decision and depart from the field, concluding his innings on a high note with a brisk 64 off 57 balls, including 9 fours and a six.
Also READ: “I fully take responsibility of that as a captain and leader”: Rohit Sharma on India’s embarrassing Test series whitewash against New Zealand
AB de Villiers weighs in on controversial call
Following the game, de Villiers took to X to express his thoughts on Pant’s dismissal, raising concerns about the decision-making process and the reliability of UltraEdge technology in such situations.
“Controversy! Little grey area once again. Did Pant get bat on that or not? Problem is when the ball passes the bat at exactly the same time a batter hits his pad snicko will pick up the noise. But how sure are we he hit it? I’ve always worried about this and here it happens at a huge moment in a big Test match. Where’s hotspot?!” de Villiers captioned on X.
Controversy! Little grey area once again. Did Pant get bat on that or not? Problem is when the ball passes the bat at exactly the same time a batter hits his pad snicko will pick up the noise. But how sure are we he hit it? I’ve always worried about this and here it happens at a…
— AB de Villiers (@ABdeVilliers17) November 3, 2024
India falls short of the target
New Zealand set India a target of 147 in this final Test, but India struggled in their chase. Despite Pant’s aggressive knock, the team was bowled out for 121, falling short by 25 runs and conceding the series to New Zealand with a clean sweep of 3-0. Pant’s dismissal, occurring at a critical juncture, played a significant role in the match’s outcome, with fans and experts alike debating whether the decision was fair.
