Anil Kumble spoke candidly about the umpiring on Day 4 of the Lord’s Test following Joe Root’s narrow escape from Mohammed Siraj.
Mohammed Siraj’s Intense Day at Lord’s Marred by Controversial Umpiring Decision
Mohammed Siraj had an eventful Day 4 at Lord’s during the third Test against England. After taking two wickets and facing a failed review in the first session, Siraj maintained his intensity in the second session, putting pressure on the England batters. In the 38th over, he troubled Joe Root with a sharply moving delivery that hit Root in front of middle stump after he missed stepping down the pitch.
Despite no bat contact and three reds suggesting a likely dismissal, umpire Paul Reiffel remained unmoved, and the DRS showed ‘umpire’s call’ on impact. The Indian team was visibly frustrated, with Siraj expressing his anger loudly as he returned to bowl.
Commentator Abhimanyu Mukund noted that Siraj stared at Reiffel after the decision, while even Anil Kumble didn’t hesitate to mock the umpire. Jonathan Trott commented on the near-miss, saying England survived once more, and the Indian players were animated.
However, it was Anil Kumble’s sarcastic response that stood out: “It seems Paul Reiffel has decided that it is going to be not out. Anything close, not out.”
Root falls soon
However, the missed decision didn’t hurt India much, as spinner Washington Sundar soon dismissed Root on 40, providing India with a crucial breakthrough. He then removed Jamie Smith for 8, leaving England at 175 for six wickets at tea.
The Lord’s Test will be effectively decided in the second innings, as both teams finished with identical scores of 387 in the first innings.
