Watch: Robbed! RCB fans furious after questionable spike in DRS goes in favour of Jonny Bairstow

Passionate fans of the famous Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB) franchise were left aghast and reacted in displeasure after the match officials arguably failed to read the footage properly and gave Punjab Kings (PBKS) batter Jonny Bairstow a reprieve. 

Bairstow escaped what looked like a LBW call in the IPL 2022 league match played on Friday (May 13). Facing RCB pacer Mohammed Siraj’s full-pitched ball, the English right-hander failed to dig it out while the ball went peerlessly close to his bottom edge on its way to brushing his pads in front of the stumps. 

This led the entire RCB fielding unit, including Siraj, to raise a loud LBW appeal. But the on-field umpire stood there unmoved, forcing the side to opt for the DRS. This is when the drama unfolded, as the television officials arguably misread the footage provided to him and allowed Bairstow to continue his innings. 

Lucky Jonny Bairstow stayed intact at the crease after the television official felt that the spike seen on the ultra-edge was of the batter’s bottom-edge, when in reality it was perhaps off the ball making contact with the surface, evading the willow to thump onto his pads. 

Jonny Bairstow survives contentious DRS review; RCB fans react in dismay 

The incident and the controversial DRS review were seen on the first ball of the sixth over in RCB’s first-innings at the Brabourne Stadium in Mumbai. Jonny Bairstow looked like gone for all money in the real-time action but what saved the batter was how the television official choose to read the review provided by the technology. 

While the ball seemingly missed the bottom edge on the right-hander’s willow on its way to colliding with his pads, the third umpire felt the murmur that appeared on the ultra-edge is indeed off the bat and not the ball making contact with the turf. 

pic.twitter.com/35ORn9NmxY

— Varma Fan (@VarmaFan1) May 13, 2022

Had that happened, a straightforward LBW dismissal would’ve seen, forcing Bairstow to make the long walk. Instead, the fortunate batter got four runs added to his and his team’s kitty. 

The moment the third umpire upheld the on-field call, RCB fans got the social media buzzing with their reactions, making their disappointment absolutely clear. 

Here is how some of them reacted: 

Bat??? Not sure I agree…#RCBvsPBKS #CricketTwitter pic.twitter.com/fiaMOIDLqv

— Rohit Sankar (@imRohit_SN) May 13, 2022

Bat? Seriously? What?

— arfan (@Im__Arfan) May 13, 2022

Given that the explosive Jonny Bairstow was batting in supreme touch at the time with an unbeaten 37 off 15 balls, this was a key moment in the game and the one that would’ve relieved the PBKS dug-out, playing a must-win league game against RCB.