New Delhi: The IPL 2026 match between Royal Challengers Bangalore and Gujarat Titans at the Narendra Modi Stadium brought a lot of excitement but also controversy, with Gujarat Titans narrowly winning by four wickets. The biggest topic of the night was rajapatidarJason Holder seized on the news of his dismissal, sending the RCB camp into a rage.What happened?In the eighth over, Patidar, batting at No. 19, tried to pull the ball from Arshad Khan. Holder reacted quickly and dived forward for a low catch, while Kagiso Rabada also closed in on the ball, almost causing a collision between the two fielders.Replays of the incident appeared unable to determine whether the ball made contact with the ground.Despite the uncertainty, the third umpire upheld the on-field decision after review and Patidar was dismissed.The decision left the RCB camp visibly unhappy at a crucial stage of the game.Not just players, Virat Kohli Coach Andy Flower also appeared frustrated and was talking to the referee.What does the law say?The rules of cricket state that a catch is only complete when the fielder has full control of the ball and its movement, meaning the ball must not touch the ground while the fielder is still sliding or gaining control.Rule 33.3 states: “A catch is only completed when the fielder has ‘full control of the ball and its movement’. The ball cannot touch the ground until then.”Meanwhile, Law 33.2.2 adds that a catch is fair if “the ball is in the hands of the fielder, even if the hand holding the ball touches the ground, or hugs the body, or becomes lodged in external protective gear worn by the fielder, or becomes accidentally lodged in the fielder’s clothing.”Why was Patidar declared out?After reviewing replays, a third referee concluded that part of Holder’s hand had lifted the ball off the ground, even though it could not be seen clearly.With fans heavily criticizing the decision on social media, former India spinner Ravichandran Ashwin explained why the catch was ultimately deemed fair and why the umpire’s call stood.“Jason Holder’s hands are twice as big as mine. The ball almost disappears in his hands. So, even though you can see the ball through the gaps in his fingers, it doesn’t mean the ball has hit the ground. He might have rolled it up. Maybe the ball didn’t touch the ground,” Ashwin said about the catch on his YouTube channel.
