Batting legend Sunil Gavaskar voiced strong criticism of the ball-tracking technology and on-field umpire Paul Reiffel’s decision after Joe Root survived a tight LBW call on Day 4 of the third Test between India and England at Lord’s. The contentious moment unfolded in the 38th over of England’s second innings when Mohammed Siraj struck Root on the pads with a sharp delivery that nipped back. The appeal was immediate and forceful, with Siraj and the slip cordon convinced of the dismissal.
After some hesitation earlier in the over, stand-in captain Shubman Gill opted to take the review. Replays revealed that Root had moved significantly across the stumps, and the ball struck him in line with the stumps. Crucially, a good portion of the leg stump was visible at impact, raising strong expectations that the decision would be overturned. However, the ball-tracking system showed only a marginal portion of the ball clipping the leg stump, resulting in the “umpire’s call” verdict — which meant the on-field decision of not out stood.
Gavaskar, commenting live, did not hold back. He cast serious doubts on the accuracy of the technology:
“You're saying it was going to kiss the leg stump? There's no way. It was knocking the leg stump off,” he said in disbelief. “The only good thing is that India have not lost the review.”
Former England batter Jonathan Trott echoed the disbelief, stating:
“I am flabbergasted. Having looked at that replay, I thought it was crashing into the inside part of the leg stump.”
Siraj, who had already taken two wickets and was bowling with venom, looked visibly dejected as the ball-tracking system overruled what appeared to be a decisive breakthrough.
India, having enjoyed a successful morning session where they reduced England to 87/4 with wickets from Siraj, Bumrah, Nitish Kumar Reddy, and Akash Deep, faced mounting frustration as Root and Stokes added 67 runs for the fifth wicket. Despite several near-misses and tight calls, the English pair capitalised on their reprieves.
The deadlock finally broke just before Tea when Washington Sundar bowled Root for 40, providing India a much-needed wicket and reducing England to 154/5. Captain Ben Stokes and wicketkeeper-batter Jamie Smith were at the crease at the break.
Earlier in the day, India’s seamers bowled with control and aggression. Siraj was the pick, dismissing Duckett and Pope, while Bumrah kept things tight from the other end. Nitish Kumar Reddy struck to remove Zak Crawley, and Akash Deep accounted for Harry Brook, who was looking dangerous with his aggressive strokeplay.
Despite the drama and moments of misfortune, India remained in the hunt as the Test headed toward an exciting conclusion.
