In a tense third Test match in Mumbai, Rishabh Pant’s dismissal emerged as a pivotal moment, possibly sealing India’s fate in their 25-run defeat against New Zealand. Pant, who was playing a promising innings with a brisk 64 off 57 balls, fell to a controversial DRS decision that left India’s captain, Rohit Sharma, questioning the consistency of umpiring calls. India was chasing 147 to avoid a 3-0 series whitewash but ultimately fell short.
Pant’s dismissal came at a critical juncture. With India at 106 for 6 and only 41 runs away from the target, Pant’s wicket tilted the game in New Zealand’s favor. In his post-match comments, Rohit expressed doubts about the validity of the DRS call, explaining that he was uncertain about how the decision was overturned when the on-field umpire had initially ruled it not-out. “If there is no conclusive evidence, it has to stand with the umpire’s on-field decision. That is what I have been told,” he said.
Pant’s dismissal followed a sequence of events that added to the tension. Earlier, New Zealand had missed a chance to review an lbw appeal against Pant when replays showed three reds. Then, Ajaz Patel, New Zealand’s spinner, appealed twice against Pant in the same over, with one appeal upheld by DRS. Two balls later, Patel managed to get a review upheld for a bat-pad catch that led to Pant’s controversial exit.
Third umpire Paul Reiffel initially noted that the UltraEdge spike could have come from Pant’s bat brushing his pad, as bat, ball, and pad were in close proximity. However, after reviewing the footage repeatedly, Reiffel concluded that a deflection suggested contact between bat and ball, leading to Pant’s dismissal. The decision was met with celebrations from New Zealand, while Pant, visibly unhappy, briefly confronted the on-field umpires.
New Zealand captain Tom Latham later explained their rationale behind the review, stating, “A few of us heard two noises… We can’t necessarily see the footage that the third umpire gets, so that’s certainly out of our control.”
Rohit acknowledged the importance of Pant’s wicket, describing it as a “very crucial” moment. With Pant’s departure, India lost its momentum, collapsing soon after. “It felt like he [Pant] would take us through. But it was an unfortunate dismissal,” Rohit reflected, highlighting the impact of Pant’s wicket on India’s defeat and New Zealand’s eventual 3-0 series sweep.
Pant’s controversial dismissal has reignited discussions on the accuracy and consistency of DRS, especially in high-stakes moments.