SA vs IND: Rassie van der Dussen’s dismissal in Johannesburg Test sparks controversy

Just when the ongoing second Test between South Africa and India looked hanging in balance, a controversy bagged all the attention. Shardul Thakur dismissed Rassie van der Dussen for 1 on the stroke of lunch as the Proteas team lost their fourth wicket with 102 on the board. Although it seemed like a clean dismissal at the first sight, the replay narrated a different story.

It was a short of a length delivery from Thakur which took the inside edge of Van der Dussen’s bat and the ball flicks his thigh pad before wicketkeeper Rishabh Pant grabbed it diving forward. The South Africa batter walked off the park and a hard-fought first session came to an end. However, the replay indicated the ball might have hit the turf before Pant collected it.

In fact, as per Cricbuzz, South Africa captain Dean Elgar and team manager Khomotso Masubelele had a chat with the umpires during the Lunch break to discuss Van der Dussen’s controversial dismissal. Later, commentator Mark Nicholas revealed that the umpires had a look at the dismissal but the third umpire said there was inconclusive evidence to overturn Marias Erasmus’ on-field decision.

Did the ball touch the ground before bouncing into the gloves of Pant? 🧐🤔

If so should Rassie van der Dussen be called back in to bat seeing that the match has not moved on?#SAvIND #INDvSAhttps://t.co/2d2lYwgVVp

— 🏏FlashScore Cricket Commentators (@FlashCric) January 4, 2022

Third umpire didn’t overturn the decision

“We have heard that if there was conclusive evidence during the review at the Lunch break, then the third umpire can offer it back to the fielding captain. If the 3rd umpire had conclusive evidence that it didn’t carry, they can offer it back to the fielding captain to call van der Dussen back,” Nicholas said on-air.

Notably, the front-on replays showed the ball to have bounced in front of Pant’s gloves. However, the side-on replays showed the ball to have gone straight into his hands. Owing to the same, the third umpire didn’t find it right to overturn the on-field decision. Meanwhile, former Indian captain Sunil Gavaskar, who’s also a part of the commentary panel, also asserted that the visuals aren’t conclusive.

“It was a thick inside edge. There is no question whether it came off the bat. The question is whether it lobbed. These kinds of pictures are never very conclusive. They would have checked with Rishabh Pant,” Gavaskar stated.