Australia vs India: Virat Kohli Gets Huge Reprieve As Tim Paine Decides Not To Take DRS

Australia might end up paying a big price for their skipper Tim Paine’s decision of not going for the Decision Review System (DRS) when there was a shout for a catch behind the stumps against Indian captain Virat Kohli on day one of the ongoing first Test at the Adelaide Oval.

The incident happened in the second session when Kohli was facing Australia spin spearhead Nathan Lyon. The ball pitched around the middle stump and spun outside the leg stump. The ball was around waist high and the right-handed batsman tried to flick it towards short fine leg.

However, he failed to make any contact with the ball and beaten, or perhaps that is what Tim Paine and the other Australian players thought. Initially, Tim Paine led the appeal for a caught behind after gathering the ball behind the stumps. Along with him, the other close-in fielder went up in unison too as they believed the ball had taken the edge of the bat.

The umpire, however, was not convinced and gave his decision in the favour of Kohli. It was followed by a lengthy conversation between Tim Paine and Matthew Wade, who was standing at forward short leg. Tim Paine was not sure about taking the DRS and eventually decided against challenging the on-field umpire’s decision.

However, it did not take him long to realise that he was wrong to not review the decision. Replays of the incident with thermal imaging showed there might have been a faint spot on Kohli’s gloves after the ball passed it. Had Tim Paine decided to go upstairs, Australia could have had the prized scalp of the India skipper cheaply. Kohli at that time was batting on the score of only 16.

Here is a clip of the incident:

Is this a little mark on Virat Kohli's glove there? ?

Australia opted not to review… #AUSvIND pic.twitter.com/t0Xaojls94

— 7Cricket (@7Cricket) December 17, 2020

At the time of writing this report, Kohli was batting on 42 with India’s score being 115 for 3 in the 58th over.

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