Former cricketer R Ashwin criticised umpire Paul Reiffel on his YouTube show Ash Ki Baat, questioning some of the decisions made by the official during the third Test between India and England at Lord’s. Ashwin said the decisions were unfair to India and requested the ICC to look into the matter.
The controversy began on Day 4 of the third Test when umpire Paul Reiffel turned down a wicket appeal by Mohammad Siraj against Joe Root. DRS showed the ball was just about clipping the stumps, but the decision stayed with the umpire’s call and gave Root a lifeline.
Siraj, visibly disappointed, was seen giving an angry stare at Reiffel after the call. The tension escalated further in the final innings of the Test match, when Indian captain Shubman Gill was given out caught behind on a Brydon Carse delivery, despite there being no contact between bat and ball.
Ashwin didn’t hold back and expressed his thoughts on his YouTube channel, saying, “Whenever India bowls, he always feels it’s not out. Whenever India bats, he always feels it’s out. If it’s not just against India but against all teams, then ICC has to look into it.”
He also recalled another incident where an Indian batter was given out even when there was a wide gap between bat and ball and it was ignored by Reiffel. “I own a car, a sedan, which I can park through the gap between the bat and ball. It’s clear it was not out,” Ashwin said.
He further added that his father said India never win when Paul Reiffel is umpiring.
“My father was watching the match with me. And he told me, ‘Whenever Paul Reiffel comes, India will not win.’”
Ashwin was not the only cricketer to criticise Paul’s umpiring. Anil Kumble and Sunil Gavaskar also questioned the umpiring decisions during the live commentary.
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