IPL 2023, SRH vs MI | Twitter reacts as Nitin Menon takes nonsensical review in rue of Arjun Tendulkar's potential maiden IPL scalp
Technology has become integral to the umpiring process over the past couple of years, with even their basic duties now assigned to TV umpires. However, things went a step too far on Tuesday as Nitin Menon reviewed a wide for no apparent reason other than a potential edge off Tendulkar's bowling.
Mumbai Indians again looked like a side that has five IPL titles in the bag on Tuesday after a disappointing start to the season as they plundered 192/5 in the first innings on a slow pitch in Hyderabad. They continued in the same vein of form with the ball as well, as the hosts were reduced to 26/2 in four overs, and Arjun Tendulkar nearly made it three but his efforts were overshadowed by some hilariously incompetent umpiring.
After an excellent opening over, Tendulkar delivered the fourth ball of his second over down the leg side to Rahul Tripathi with the batter looking to make room for himself. However, the delivery ended up being a tad too off-target as it went past Rahul Tripathi's attempted flick and into the wicketkeeper's gloves. However, the ball passed close by the willow, provoking both Ishan Kishan and Arjun to go up in a loud appeal with the latter hopeful of earning his maiden IPL scalp in just his second game in the tournament. Confusion ensued as instead of making the signal for a wide or raising his finger, umpire Nitin Menon instead started walking towards his square-leg counterpart while speaking through his headset with the third umpire. Even Arjun flared his arms in shock to question what was going on, only for Menon to eventually signal to the third umpire to check for a bump ball. Replays showed that the ball had pitched well short of Tripathi and was nowhere close to being a bump ball while also proving that the batter had not got a nick.
Menon thus signalled wide but immediately received heavy flak from the Twitterati as they accused the umpire of abusing his privilege to go upstairs without providing a clear reason for doing so.
That reaction from Arjun Tendulkar :O
— David Beckham (@DavidBeckham800) April 19, 2023
Arjun looked a little surprised!
— Surya Sharma (@SuryaSh54265109) April 18, 2023
Only god knows
How the f is that review allowed?
— Kruthay (@Kruthay) April 18, 2023
Umpire can only review bump balls, catches and not those. @ESPNcricinfo
True
Why did Mennon went for review, it has to MI's review rather than umpire #IPL2O23
— Chhotu Kumar Roy (@ChhotuKuRo1995) April 18, 2023
Very surprising
Why did the umpire refer it himself? Surprising.. Ideally I would think the umpire goes by his judgement and gives a decision.. and then teams review if they disagree.. #SRHvsMI
— Pradeep Muthu (@muthupradeep) April 18, 2023
Correct
I don't why umpire went for refferal on his own instead of giving wide ?? If #MI was so convinced they might gone for review and lost it ???@cricbuzz#SRHvsMI #TATAIPL
— Raghavan (@raghavan_offl) April 18, 2023
Guess who
MI is playing... Nepo kid bowling... On off side wide not given, on leg side, umpire takes a review... Guess who is the umpire... #MIvsSRH ... How does this guy get all MI matches. If there was doubt, MI should have taken DRS. How come umpire took a review. Will @bcci answer.
— Ajay Sharma (@ajaynvini) April 18, 2023
Only Nitin Menon things
What the f**k was that nitin menon, it shld have been a wide and if mi had to appeal they shld hv taken a review !! Which umpire takes third umpire review for a wide ???? #IPL2O23 #MIvsSRH #SRHvsMI
— Prafy (@PrafulllaPhadke) April 18, 2023
LOL
Umpire taking extra steps to help provide some breakthrough for MI. Typical 👏🏻#IPL2O23 #MIvsSRH #paytmMI
— Harish_ (@harish__28) April 18, 2023
IPL Umpiring sumed up
Cheating with umpire reviews to try and get Tendulkar a wicket couldn't sum up the IPL better
— TH (@TH161_) April 18, 2023
Clown
Bro why the fuck umpire takes a review. It's just out or not out for you
— #SRH Gopi (@AjetAganIpog) April 18, 2023
These mindless clowns are just disgrace