IPL 2024: It’s grey area, says RCB’s Reece Topley on Virat Kohli’s controversial dismissal

PTI, Apr 22, 2024, 9:13 AM IST

Kolkata: Virat Kohli’s controversial dismissal has compounded the struggling Royal Challengers Bengaluru’s (RCB) woes, and their left-arm quick Reece Topley on Sunday described the whole episode as ‘a grey area’ in cricket and called for more clarity in rules.

The new Hawk-Eye technology to determine no-balls for height was used when TV umpire Michael Gough deemed a waist-high delivery from KKR’s Harshit Rana fair, ending Virat Kohli’s stay at a 7-ball 18 through a return catch.

RCB lost the IPL match by a run while chasing an imposing 223.

Despite Kohli’s contention, the Hawk-Eye showed that the ball would have passed below his waist if he had stayed inside his crease, thus making it a legal delivery under the new system.

“Obviously, those measurements are brought in to get rid of a grey area, and then you have something today that no one had thought of,” said Topley, who was not a part of the RCB eleven for today’s match.

Topley said the star batter was out of his crease, and the ball was above hip high, terming it a grey area.

According to the 3rd umpire, Virat Kohli was outside his crease.

– It’s a fair delivery or a No Ball according to you? pic.twitter.com/GkESFX73Nj

— Mufaddal Vohra (@mufaddal_vohra) April 21, 2024

“He (Kohli) was obviously out of his crease and the ball was over his hip high, then obviously he was out of his crease down the wicket.”

“The measurement was taken with Virat inside the crease so it’s a bit of a grey area. Obviously, it’s fine margin and would be spoken about in a game where the victory margin is just one run.”

“We are going to be disappointed. There is going to be two different mood, different feelings about that dismissal. It’s just a grey area,” added Topley.

Asked whether they have accepted the dismissal, he said, “I can throw this back to you saying what was your opinion. It’s tough…two people can have two different opinions. In our camp, we feel like it’s a grey area, like uncharted territory, so probably you need more clarifications in the rules.”

It was RCB’s seventh loss from eight matches and sixth on the trot as their playoff chances are all but over.

“It’s not absolute. We go about every game like we are going to win it and try the best of ourselves. We can finish with seven games and look back and say it was a respectful campaign,” he added.

Will Jacks (55 from 32 balls) and Rajat Patidar (52 from 23b) steered RCB’s chase before Andre Russell turned the momentum dismissing the duo in one over.

“Losing two set batters wasn’t ideal. Rajat and Jacks played so well and gave us a chance and Karn Sharma hit some sixes in the end. It was such a beautiful game. That’s such high standard of cricket,” he added.

Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) seamer Rana, who took the return catch to dismiss Kohli, refused to comment on the controversial decision.

“It was the umpire’s decision. What can we say about that?” he said.

Asked whether he had any special plan for the star Indian batter, he said, “Plans are there for every batter. Nothing special for Virat bhaiya. My focus was only on my bowling.”

RCB nearly pulled off the 223-run chase, before being pipped at the post by just one run.

In their previous match, KKR failed to defend 223/6 against Rajasthan Royals who won by two wickets.

Rana said there was no safe score with the way this edition’s IPL is panning out.

“The way the IPL is going I don’t think there is any safe score. Batters are batting well, and you know the condition of the bowlers.

Obviously, you need 200-plus on this pitch. 220 is par score on this pitch,” added Rana.