New Delhi: Mumbai Indians (MI) star batter Rohit Sharma has landed himself into a fresh controversy over a DRS appeal which successfully reversed his dismissal, during the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2025 match against Rajasthan Royals (RR) in Jaipur on Thursday. He has been facing flak from the fans on the internet who feel that he made the DRS appeal after the 15-second timer was over.
Not just Rohit, but fans are also questioning the on-field umpires over why Rohit’s appeal was accepted when he had already run out of the DRS time. As per the rules, a DRS appeal is only accepted when made within the 15-second time frame. But… there’s more to the picture than just a few angry fans. It all happened during the second over of MI’s innings at the Sawai Mansingh Stadium, being bowled by Fazalhaq Farooqui.
The Afghan pacer trapped Rohit on the pads in one of the length deliveries, which managed to beat him, and a loud appeal from the RR outfit made the on-field umpire raise his finger. At the time of the appeal, Rohit was on seven from seven balls. He held a long discussion with opening partner Ryan Rickelton and seemed to have gone for a review at the very last second of the 15-second countdown.
In real-time, the delivery looked pretty straight on to the pads, but the DRS appeal forced the third umpire to go for ball tracking, which further revealed that the ball had pitched marginally outside the line of the leg stump, eventually saving the batter. It is understood that the replays were only used because Rohit’s appeal was accepted, but the controversy is around the timing of the appeal.
While a few fans boiled over Rohit taking the DRS after the timer was expired, a few stood in his favour, saying that Rohit had initiated taking the DRS when the last second was remaining. Those unhappy vented their frustration on social media, feeling it was wrong and an injustice on RR’s part. Some even alleged the umpires of favouring the Mumbai Indians, highlighting their alleged long-time association with the match officials.
Here are a few fan reactions over Rohit’s DRS call controversy –
Rohit Sharma took the DRS after time ran out. How can the Umpire allow him to use DRS after time expired? Will they allow this if it was a RR batter?
Umpiring Indians 🤡 pic.twitter.com/cBFkiWiHzx
— 𝐁𝐑𝐔𝐓𝐔 (@Brutu24) May 1, 2025
Rohit Sharma consulted with Ryan Rickelton even after the DRS timer had expired, but still went for the review and survived.#MIvsRR #RohitSharma #TATAIPL #RRvsMI #RRVMI pic.twitter.com/J3b9w531zK
— Muhammad Asif (Parody) (@MuhammadAsif26_) May 1, 2025
Rohit Sharma’s DRS decision was not out. I think it was an Umpire Call but again it’s Mumbai Indians so it has to be Pitching Outside. Then Why Are They Continuing The Tournament Just Give A Trophy To The @mipaltan and end it#fixedipl #umpireindian @IPL #cheating #scam2025 pic.twitter.com/hSCr5RGpk1
— Hemant Dhobale (@HemantDhobale) May 1, 2025
Rohit Sharma took the DRS after the DRS time was over and he survived. This could happen only when Mumbai Indians plays.
Umpire Indians at its best pic.twitter.com/F4NF66Astq
— Oxygen (@NationOxygen18) May 1, 2025
Was Rohit really out of DRS time?
Clearly not. The video evidence above vividly shows Rohit just making it in time to opt for a DRS. He indeed held a long discussion with his batting partner, but a careful and deep examination of the footage makes it clear that he initiated the process of making the appeal within the 15-second countdown. While the fans have their own reasons to feel aggrieved about the incident, it certainly won’t make Rohit Sharma’s survival a scapegoat.
Nonetheless, Rohit went on to score a blazing 53 off just 36 balls as Mumbai Indians piled up 217/2 and comfortably won the match by 100 runs to knock out the Royals from IPL 2025.
Rohit Sharma is facing the ire of netizens who feel he made a DRS appeal after the 15-second countdown was over, during the RR vs MI encounter in Jaipur on Thursday. Here’s a deep factcheck! Cricket Sports News: Latest Cricket News, Cricket Live Score, Sports Breaking News from Sports Today