With the third umpire ruling a low catch of Royal Challengers Bengaluru batsman Rajat Patidar by Gujarat Titan’s all-rounder Jason Holder as a legal one in the IPL match at Ahmedabad on Thursday night, a lot of talk has been about the catch taken by the tall West Indian. Patidar had hit a Arshad Khan length delivery towards deep backward square with Holder and Casino Rabada going towards the ball followed by Holder taking the low catch while sliding. With replays showing Holder sliding and a part of the ball seeming to hit the ground out of Holder’s hands and the third umpire ruling the catch as legal, RCB player Virat Kohli as well coach Andy Flower were seen discussing the issue with the fourth umpire near the ropes. Former Indian spinner Ravichandran Ashwin believes the ball perhaps did not touch the ground with the ball almost disappearing in Holder’s hands and the decision was a right one made by the third umpire.
“Jason Holder’s hands are twice as big as mine. In his hands, the ball almost disappears. So, even if you guys can see the ball through the gap in his fingers, that does not mean that the ball has hit the floor. He has probably wrapped it around. The ball, perhaps, did not touch the ground. You have to see the rule and the rule interpretation. That’s at the discretion of the umpire. And we have to remember that it’s all up to the umpire’s decision.,” Ashwin said on his YouTube channel Ash ki Baat.
Prior to Patidar’s dismissal, Royal Challengers Bengaluru were placed at 79 for 2 in 7.3 overs with Patidar batting on 19 off 14 balls. Post that dismissal, the Bengaluru side could only add 76 more runs as the side were bundled out for a total of 155 runs in 19.2overs. Gujarat Titans successfully chased the target for the loss of six wickets and with 25 balls remaining.
It’s heating up in Ahmedabad! 🔥#JasonHolder caught #RajatPatidar at the boundary, but the #RCB camp wasn’t convinced with the decision! 👀#TATAIPL 2026 ➡️ #GTvRCB | LIVE NOW 👉https://t.co/K8vuSzrZ1d pic.twitter.com/GwfAoIelDj
— Star Sports (@StarSportsIndia) April 30, 2026
According to the IPL playing conditions and MCC rules, law 33.3 states, “A catch is only completed when the fielder has ‘complete control over the ball and his/her movement’. The ball cannot touch the ground before then.”. Ashwin shared how as a neutral, the catch was ‘completely fair’ catch. “If you are on the RCB side, you might feel that he is unlucky. If you look at it from the GT side, it is a clean out. But if you are viewing it as a neutral, it is a completely fair catch, and within the jurisdiction of the umpire to give it out” he added.
Former West Indies pacer Ian Bishop has spoken about how there was some doubt about the ball and ground in case of Holder’s catch. “To me, there is doubt about ball and ground because you’re not in control of your body until you stop sliding,” Bishop had said on ESPNCricinfo.
