Mumbai, Dec 4 (IANS): Australia's spin great Shane Warne said on Saturday that India captain Virat Kohli was "simply not out". Warne's comments come after Kohli's return to Test cricket was cut short on day one of the ongoing second Test at the Wankhede Stadium when he was adjudged lbw while pressing forward to push off left-arm spinner Ajaz Patel's bowling in the 30th over.
"This is simply -- not out !!!!! We often discuss technology & its use/accuracy. The main problem@is the interpretation of the technology. Here's a perfect example of the ball clearly hitting the edge of the bat first," Warne tweeted.
In reply to Warne's tweet, former New Zealand pacer Simon Doull, currently commentating on the second Test, wrote, "It's a clear indication of find the pictures to suit your narrative is all that is. In the side view the bat has not reached the ball by the time the ball reaches the pad so there for its safe to say hitting the pad first as its directly in the same line did happen first. #simple."
After being given out, Kohli took the Decision Review System (DRS) but the third umpire Virender Sharma found no conclusive evidence to overturn the on-field decision with the ball hitting the bat and pad at the same time. Sharma saw the replays from various angles before moving towards ball-tracking, which showed three reds.
Sharma asked on-field umpire Anil Chaudhary to stay with the original decision, prompting Kohli to have a word with umpire Nitin Menon before walking back to the dressing room in disbelief.
Kohli was also seen slamming the advertising hoard on the boundary rope with his bat angrily as Patel completed a double-wicket maiden in the over, dismissing both Kohli and Cheteshwar Pujara for ducks.
After returning to the dressing room, the camera panned towards a shell-shocked Kohli, who reacted animatedly while watching the replay of his dismissal on the TV screen.
He brought out an amused reaction and was seen discussing the same with head coach Rahul Dravid before finally heading inside the room. Kohli's dismissal had sparked a debate on social media on how he was given out on inconclusive evidence, with several former Indian cricketers dismayed at the decision.