Indian red-ball skipper Virat Kohli's childhood coach Rajkumar Sharma has come out in support of the visiting captain following the controversial Decision Review System (DRS) call in the third Test against South Africa. The DRS call on Thursday helped Proteas skipper Dean Elgar get his LBW decision overturned in the fourth innings of the Cape Town Test at Newlands. Team India was visibly irked after a controversial Decision Review System call which helped Elgar on Day 3. The controversial call evoked different reactions from KL Rahul, skipper Kohli, and spinner Ravichandran Ashwin.
Many cricket pundits have criticised Kohli and boys but Rajkumar Sharma said it was natural for the visitors to get angry at such a decision.
"If you are using technology at an international level then it has to be full proof. When umpire said it's impossible that how could a ball of spinner that hit below the knee could go above the wicket in hawkeye. So it's natural for a captain to get angry and ICC should intervene into it," Rajkumar Sharma told ANI.
"Kohli is the captain of Team India and if such a decision is made at a crucial juncture so it's natural to get angry. Not only Kohli, but every Indian player also was angry on the issue and it is normal to do so," he added.
The incident occurred in the 21st over of the innings which was bowled by Ashwin. The spinner bowled a tossed-up delivery and it drifted in, beating Elgar on the inside edge and the ball struck him right in front of the stumps, and on-field umpire Marais Erasmus raised his finger.
Team India was shocked on seeing the ball going over the stumps and the stump mic caught Kohli, Ashwin, and Rahul suggesting some tampering with the technology. Even umpire Erasmus was seen shaking his head on how the ball was missing the stumps.
However, Elgar reviewed the decision and replays showed that the ball was going over the stumps, and hence the decision was overturned.
First, the mic caught Ashwin as saying, "You should find better ways to win Supersport (South Africa broadcaster)."
Then Virat Kohli said: "Focus on your team as well and not just the opposition, trying to catch people all the time."
At last, KL Rahul said: "Whole country playing against XI guys."
Meanwhile, South Africa need 41 runs to win the third and final Test against India at Newlands in Cape Town on Friday.
In the first session on Day four, South Africa scored 70 runs and lost a wicket ensuring they maintained control over the third Test against India.