Despite being 12 hours removed from Delhi Capitals’ victory against Rajasthan Royals in the IPL 2024 match yesterday, the controversial dismissal of Sanju Samson continues to capture attention. The Rajasthan Royals captain had scored 86 off 45 balls and seemed poised to lead his team to victory before being caught in the deep. However, the catch was not without controversy, as Shai Hope’s foot was close to the ropes when he took the catch. Despite being referred to the third umpire, the decision was made quickly, leaving many, especially Royals and Samson’s fans, unsatisfied.
The man responsible for the decision, who was in the box, Michael Gough, faced criticism, with former England captain Paul Collingwood questioning his decision. While Collingwood defended Gough, he suggested that more angles should have been explored before making the call.
“Goughy (Michael Gough) is a very good friend of mine. So I am going to defend him (chuckles). Maybe he could have given himself another angle, just to double-check. Because it was so, so close. Those decisions and those moments make a huge difference. So maybe he could have given himself a little bit more time,” Collingwood told Star Sports.
“I know in the IPL, the organisers want to quicken things up, the umpires are being told that they have got to quicken the decisions. I think, on this occasion, a couple of more angles, to clarify, could have put everybody at ease. That might have been the best way to go.”
Watson comes out in Gough’s support
If Gough had his critics, he also found support from Shane Watson. The former Australian all-rounder defended Gough, stating that there was no foul play involved in Samson’s dismissal. Watson highlighted a zoom-in angle that was only visible to the third umpire, emphasizing its importance in making the correct decision.
“While there may appear to be some disturbance on the ropes, on closer examination and with the zoomed-in angle available to the third umpire, it seems that he did not touch the rope. It was a very close call, but Shai Hope’s skills on the boundary were exceptional. Even though there was some confusion, I believe the right decision was made in the end. That specific angle should have been utilized for a clear decision,” Watson mentioned on Jio.
Delhi Capitals’ victory over the Royals propelled them to fifth place on the points table with 12 points, keeping their Playoff hopes alive and preventing the Royals from securing a top-four spot, at least for now.
