Jitesh Sharma's Controversial Leg Bye: A Seriously Weird IPL Moment
Okay, so you wouldn't believe what happened in that RCB vs. MI IPL 2025 match. Total nail-biter, right down to the wire. Jitesh Sharma, batting on the last ball, gets whacked on the pads. LBW shout! Umpire says out. Whoa.
But wait, there's more. Sharma goes for the DRS review. And guess what? The impact was outside off stump! Not out! The crowd goes wild. RCB fans are celebrating. Except...there's a twist.
The Run That Wasn't a Run
Before the review, Sharma had scampered a leg bye. A single run, a tiny, seemingly inconsequential run. But because the umpire initially called him out, that leg bye? Poof! Gone. Vanished. The umpire ruled the ball dead the second he gave Sharma out, even though the decision was overturned. Talk about a rollercoaster!
Rules, Rules, Rules (and Why They're Maddening)
According to the ICC rulebook – and yes, I looked it up – a ball becomes dead the second an umpire calls someone out. Doesn't matter if the decision gets reversed later. So, any runs scored before the reversal? They simply don't count. It happened before, too, in the South Africa vs. Bangladesh T20 World Cup match last year. Crazy, right?
It's one of those rules that makes perfect sense on paper, but when you see it play out in a crucial moment like that final ball, it feels...well, it feels pretty brutal. Especially considering how close that match was. One run could have made all the difference!
Hanuma Vihari Weighs In
Even Hanuma Vihari chimed in on social media. He was totally baffled, and I don’t blame him. He tweeted about how unfair it felt, especially in a tight finish. He's absolutely right – in a close game, a single run is HUGE. His comments got a lot of people talking about possibly changing the rule. It's a valid point, isn't it?
Sharma's Stellar Show (Despite the Injustice)
Despite all the drama, let's not forget Sharma's incredible innings. An unbeaten 40 off 19 balls? Seriously impressive. He played a vital role in getting RCB to a strong 221/5. He, Kohli, and Patidar totally smashed it. Then there was that dropped catch with Dayal...the whole evening was crazy!
The Aftermath: A Rule in Need of Review?
The whole Jitesh Sharma incident really shines a light on this super tricky rule. The rules are clear, yes, but applying them feels...unfair at times. It's a frustrating situation, and the debate it sparked definitely isn't going away anytime soon. What do you think? Should the rule be changed?
