Usman Khawaja’s day 1 final ball dismissal brought into question in fresh catch controversy

Social media clips have highlighted that KL Rahul’s catch to get rid of Khawaja off the bowling of a fired-up Jasprit Bumrah appears questionable on closer examination.

KL Rahul catch Usman Khawaja

Fresh evidence has emerged following one of the biggest flashpoints of the series which casts serious doubt over whether Usman Khawaja should have been given out on the last ball of the day.

Social media clips have highlighted that KL Rahul’s catch to get rid of Khawaja off the bowling of a fired-up Jasprit Bumrah appears questionable on closer examination.

Although Rahul took the catch at knee level, he then in the one motion falls to his knees and his left hand holding the ball makes contact with the ground as he supports himself to get back up and join in celebrations.

During the 2023 Ashes, Mitchell Starc had a similar catch overturned on DRS in highly controversial circumstances when he took a clean catch off Ben Duckett but then scraped the ball along the turf as he slid around the boundary.

Usman Khawaja looks back after he was caught by KL Rahul on the final ball of day 1. Picture: Saeed KHAN / AFP

Channel 7 reporter Tom Wilson has unearthed images which suggest the standing umpires and third umpire Joel Wilson – who earlier in the day denied Steve Smith a contentious low catch – may not have given time to properly analysing the replays before the dismissal was confirmed.

Former ICC umpire and Channel 7 expert Simon Taufel says on closer examination the catch was contentious under the laws of the game.

“The ball is not to touch the ground throughout the act of the catch,” Taufel told Wilson.

“The act starts when the fielder first touches the ball and ENDS when they have complete control over the ball AND their movement.

“The last part is the judgement call by the umpire. He must have felt that he did before possibly grounding the ball to get up.”

Starc was fuming when he was denied the catch at Lord’s in 2023 but came to appreciate afterwards that under the letter of the law his body movements had not stopped to complete the catch before the ball came in contact with the ground.

Mitchell Starc celebrates at Lord’s in 2023 before being denied a catch to dismiss England’s Ben Duckett. Picture: Ryan Pierse/Getty Images

However, Starc arguably had more control – grasping the ball with both hands – than Rahul had on Friday’s last ball.

Earlier, Australia felt Steve Smith and Marnus Labuschagne were robbed of one of the great catches of all time on day one by Wilson in the box – when Virat Kohli could have been out for a golden duck.

“Yeah I had a good view. I thought it was clear as day from where I was as being out,” Australian debutant Beau Webster said about Smith’s attempt to parry the ball up to Labuschagne to dismiss Kohli which was given not out.

“Obviously when you slow it down and the replays and the slow mos then there probably is some grass that’s touched that ball. It’s just a matter of how much. And whenever you get a low catch there’s always going to be an element of grass close to the ball. Especially when you slow it down.

“We all thought it was out and unfortunately it didn’t go our way that one.”

In contrast there was virtually no umpire deliberation after KL Rahul dismissed Khawaja amid the madness of the final ball with Indian players running from everywhere to celebrate in the face of 19-year-old Sam Konstas.