IPL 2022 | Three major umpiring howlers from the 15th season so far

Umpiring standards have always been one of the major talking points during the Indian Premier League (IPL). This season is no exception, with howlers from on-field officials and the third umpire in plenty, some of which could have affected the result of the game.  

It is natural for humans to make errors, but what excuse could one offer when he has access to all the latest and master technology and is still lagging in serving justice to the player or the team, to say the least. 

Interestingly, half a dozen such events have seen major umpiring blunders this season, inviting widespread criticism from the fans and cricket fraternity. Let's have a look at some of them, which shed light on the deteriorating standard of umpiring in IPL.  

Virat Kohli adjudged LBW controversially vs MI 

In the 18th match of the IPL 2022, where Virat Kohli at one point not only looked all set to register an impressive fifty but also seemed to take his side past the finish line against Mumbai Indians, was adjudged out by the on-field umpire. 

Kohli, who was convinced that he edged the ball, immediately reviewed the decision and looked confident that the third umpire would announce the decision in his favour. However, the replays confirmed a deviation from the bat, but the third umpire believed that the ball had hit Kohli's bat and pad simultaneously. 

The decision had to turn out in favour of the batter, but the third umpire went forward with the ball tracking, which indicated that the ball was crashing into the stumps, and Kohli had to walk back for the score of 48. The former RCB skipper looked highly upset with the umpire's decision as he expressed his anger while walking back to the dugout.

As far as the match is concerned, Royal Challengers Bangalore recorded a comprehensive seven wickets victory over the five-time Champions in that game.  

Ajinkya Rahane survived two wrong decisions vs DC

In one of the most bizarre events of the ongoing season of IPL, KKR opening batter Ajinyka Rahane survived two back-to-back wrong decisions from the umpire on the first two deliveries of Kolkata Knight Riders' chase against Delhi Capitals in the 19th match of the tournament. 

On the first delivery of the innings from Mustafizur Rahman, Rahane was given out caught behind by the on-field umpire, but the opener took no time in taking DRS, knowing there was no bat involved, and the decision was reversed.

Right after that, on the very next delivery off Mustafizur Rahman, he was given out LBW, but Rahane again took DRS straight away, which concluded that the ball hit his bat before striking into the pads, and he was safe again. 

Interestingly, on the third delivery, Rahane was out when he tried to play a cover drive, but there was an outside edge. However, there was no appeal from the Delhi Capitals team, and Rahane found himself lucky there. 

Josh Hazlewood gets away with a wide ball  

Josh Hazlewood won the battle against his compatriot Marcus Stoinis as the right-arm pacer knocked over the dangerous-looking Australian at the death to seal a thrilling win for the Royal Challengers Bangalore. But the events were once again overshadowed by an umpiring howler.

With 34 runs needed off 12 balls and Stoinis and Jason Holder in the middle, it still looked like LSG was in the game. However, it didn't last for long as Stoinis, who was looking all set to end the game for Lucknow, was dismissed following a controversial wide ball call. 

It all happened on the first delivery of the 19th over of LSG's chase when the Aussie pacer bowled a delivery, which was clearly outside the tramline, but the umpire didn't give it a wide. 

Stoinis, who was certainly not impressed with the umpire's decision, got trapped by the Australian teammate on the very next ball as Hazlewood bowled a fuller delivery that brushed the LSG all-rounder's pads straight onto the stumps.  

With Stoinis gone, the hopes of Lucknow's win vanished as RCB recorded an easy 18-runs victory.

Hazlewood, in the post-match conference himself, admitted that he "got pretty lucky".

"I tried to turn around and get back to my mark as quickly as possible. I got pretty lucky on that one, so I might have to get him a beer after that," Hazlewood said at the post-match presentation ceremony. 

Following this umpiring blunder, former BCCI chief selector Kris Srikkanth took to Twitter and lashed out at the umpiring howlers in the ongoing Indian Premier League (IPL) 2022 and urged the officials to wake up.

BCCI certainly have their task cut out. The umpiring standard has gone down massively, which shouldn't happen in a tournament watched by millions of people.