India vs Australia,1st Test: KL Rahul's controversial dismissal sparks outrage
Perth: Team India batter KL Rahul's dismissal during the first Test of the Border-Gavaskar Trophy in Perth on Friday has ignited a wave of frustration and debate among fans and pundits alike.
The controversy unfolded when Rahul, who was looking in decent touch, was dismissed for 26 following a review by the third umpire. Facing Mitchell Starc, Rahul moved forward to defend a delivery that angled across him. The ball passed closely to the bat and was caught by wicketkeeper Alex Carey. Initially, the on-field umpire ruled it not out, but Australia opted for a review, claiming a faint edge.
The review showed a spike on the Snicko, suggesting contact with the bat as the ball passed. However, the crucial front-on replay, which could have confirmed whether the sound came from the bat or the bat-pad contact, was inconclusive. Despite the ambiguity, the third umpire overturned the on-field not-out decision, citing the Snicko spike as sufficient evidence of an edge.
The Karnataka batter, visibly upset, flashed a wry smile before delivering a mouthful.
The dismissal sparked widespread outrage on social media, with fans calling the decision a "joke" and criticising the reliance on incomplete evidence. Many argued that the absence of a clear front-on angle should have led to the benefit of the doubt being given to the batter.
Former Indian cricketer Wasim Jaffer took to social media, questioning the use of technology and the third umpire’s decision. "Third umpire asked for another angle which wasn't provided. I'd assume he'd only ask for another angle if he wasn't sure. Then if he wasn't sure, why did he overturn the on field not out call? Poor use of technology and proper protocol not followed. KL hard done by," Jaffer wrote on X.
Former Australian batter Matthew Hayden also weighed in, expressing doubts over the Snicko reading. “His pad and bat are not together at that point in time as the ball passes. It's (bat hitting pad) after, in fact, the ball passes the edge. Does Snicko pick up the sound of the bat hitting the pad? We're assuming (Snicko) may be the outside edge of the bat but that may not be the case," Hayden said on 7Cricket.
Cricket commentator Harsha Bhogle also criticised the decision, urging a more careful review process, especially when overturning the on-field umpire's call. He noted that there is no need to rush a decision when there are so many angles to review.
Meanwhile, Australian pacers dominated the Indian batting lineup as India were bowled out for 150 on Day 1 of the first Test.
"His pad and bat are not together at that point in time as the ball passes.
— 7Cricket (@7Cricket) November 22, 2024
"It's (bat hitting pad) after, in fact, the ball passes the edge. Does Snicko pick up the sound of the bat hitting the pad?
"We're assuming (Snicko) may be the outside edge of the bat but that may not… pic.twitter.com/hvG0AF9rdo
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Trump warns he's considering limited strikes as Iranian diplomat says proposed deal is imminent
Washington (AP): President Donald Trump warned on Friday that limited strikes against Iran are possible even as the country's top diplomat said Tehran expects to have a proposed deal ready in the next few days following nuclear talks with the United States.
In response to a reporter's question on whether the US could take limited military action as the countries negotiate, Trump said, “I guess I can say I am considering that.” Earlier, Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi said in a TV interview that his country was planning to finalise a draft deal in “the next two to three days” to then send to Washington.
“I don't think it takes long, perhaps, in a matter of a week or so, we can start real, serious negotiations on the text and come to a conclusion,” Araghchi said on MSNOW's “Morning Joe” show.
The tensions between the longtime adversaries have ramped up as the Trump administration pushes for concessions from Iran and has built up the largest US military presence in the Middle East in decades, with more warships and aircraft on the way. Both countries have signalled that they are prepared for war if talks on Tehran's nuclear programme fizzle out.
“We are prepared for war, and we are prepared for peace,” Araghchi said Friday.
Trump said a day earlier that he believes 10 to 15 days is “enough time” for Iran to reach a deal following recent rounds of indirect negotiations, including this week in Geneva, that made little visible progress. But the talks have been deadlocked for years, and Iran has refused to discuss wider US and Israeli demands that it scale back its missile program and sever ties to armed groups.
Araghchi also said Friday that his American counterparts have not asked for zero enrichment of uranium as part of the latest round of talks, which is in contradiction to what US officials have said.
"What we are now talking about is how to make sure that Iran's nuclear programme, including enrichment, is peaceful and will remain peaceful forever," he said.
He added that in return Iran will implement some confidence-building measures in exchange for relief on economic sanctions.
In response to Araghchi's claim, a White House official said Trump has been clear that Iran cannot have nuclear weapons or the capacity to build them and that it cannot enrich uranium. The official wasn't authorised to comment publicly and spoke on condition of anonymity.
Tehran has long insisted that any negotiations should only focus on its nuclear programme and that it hasn't been enriching uranium since US and Israeli strikes last June on Iranian nuclear sites. Trump said at the time that the strikes had “obliterated” Iran's nuclear sites, but the exact damage is unknown as Tehran has barred international inspectors.
Iran has also insisted that its nuclear programme is peaceful. The US and others suspect it is aimed at eventually developing weapons.
