India skillfully spun a web around England on the opening day of the five-Test series, leaving the visitors struggling at 155/7 by the second session. The spin trio of Ravichandran Ashwin, Ravindra Jadeja, and Axar Patel each claimed two wickets, while Jasprit Bumrah added to the challenge with a superb leg-cutter that dismissed Rehan Ahmed.
Amid the dominance, the Indian team conceded some easy opportunities to England, notably in the 47th over, where Rohit Sharma’s lapse proved costly.
During that moment, Rehan managed to flick a Bumrah yorker towards deep square log and called for a risky two, challenging Mohammed Siraj’s throw. Despite the danger, Ben Stokes committed to the run, and due to a lack of direct hit with no one covering the stumps, the skipper survived the potentially perilous play.
Adding to India’s frustration, Rohit, stationed at mid-off, failed to back up, reacting too late as the ball sped past him to the boundary, resulting in the umpire signaling six runs.
However, a silver lining for the hosts emerged as the third umpire intervened, stripping England of an extra run since the batters hadn’t crossed when the ball left Siraj’s hands.
— Glennmax (@maxglenn425) January 25, 2024
This incident stirred memories of the infamous application of the rule during the 2019 World Cup final, where no retrospective action was taken, leading to England’s controversial victory. Twitter swiftly criticized the Indian captain for his lackadaisical approach and ignited a heated debate on the rules.