SRH vs RCB: "Easier to appease a particular fan-base"- Virat Kohli lashed by a whip from Aakash Chopra

Former Indian cricketer Aakash Chopra shared his thoughts on Virat Kohli's dismissal during the match between Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) and Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR). Aakash Chopra stated that Virat Kohli's dismissal was legitimate, urging specific fans to choose wisely.

Kolkata Knight Riders set a challenging 223-run target at the Eden Gardens on Sunday, April 21. Phil Salt provided an explosive start for the team, scoring 48 runs off 14 balls. The KKR team lost wickets in quick wickets in the middle overs, but skipper Shreyas Iyer scored a crucial half-century.

In the case of 223 runs, Virat Kohli was caught and bowled by Harshit Rana on the opening ball of the third over. The former RCB skipper, standing outside the crease, failed to play a full toss that he played above his waist. Rana completed a simple return catch, resulting in Kohli's dismissal.

The 35-year-old batter challenged the on-field umpire's decision to dismiss him, believing the ball to be a waist-high full-toss and thus a no-ball. However, the replays showed that the slower ball had dipped as it reached the batter. Kohli was not inside the crease at the time of the impact.

Ball-tracking revealed that if Kohli had been inside the batting crease in his regular stance, the ball would have been below waist height. The RCB batter was visibly disappointed with the dismissal, shaking his head. He exchanged heated words with the umpires before leaving the field.

People Complaining About The Existing Law - Aakash Chopra

Aakash Chopra took to X (formerly known as Twitter) to urge careful consideration and wise decision-making regarding such matters.

“People complaining about the existing Law of height of the ball measured at the popping crease—please consider this—what if the batter decides to walk towards the bowler as the bowler is running in…and is 10 feet or more outside the popping crease at the time of release. Should be bowler be obliged to tinker is length so much?

"Or in that case, the bowler should also be allowed to forget about the crease and bowl a big no-ball?? Where does it stop?? It’s easier to get carried away and appease a particular fan-base but it’s not that difficult to think it through too. Choose wisely,” Aakash Chopra said.

Virat Kohli made a quick 18 runs off seven balls with two sixes and a four. The team lost the wicket of Faf du Plessis, leaving them at 35/2. Will Jacks and Rajat Patidar played crucial innings during the challenging run chase. Both batters scored half-centuries to stabilize RCB's innings.

The RCB team lost a flurry of wickets when they were in position for a comfortable victory. Even the efforts of Dinesh Karthik (25 off 18 balls) were not enough to secure a win. Karn Sharma managed to hit three sixes in Mitchell Starc's final over, but the team fell just short of the target.

Also read: SRH vs RCB: Virat Kohli fights with umpires, Faf du Plessis gets fined by the BCCI