Replay reveals blunder in judgment as SRH falter again, Former cricketers Virender Sehwag and Navjot Singh Sidhu have expressed their views over Ishan Kishan’s walk-off.
New Delhi: During the IPL 2025 match between Sunrisers Hyderabad (SRH) and Mumbai Indians (MI), batsman Ishan Kishan’s unusual dismissal enraged cricket fans and commentators. Former Indian cricketers Virender Sehwag and Navjot Singh Sidhu had different reactions to the heated scenario at the Rajiv Gandhi International Stadium on Wednesday.
Sunrisers Hyderabad, already struggling in the league, suffered their sixth loss of the season, this time against the Mumbai Indians, dropping them to ninth place on the points table with only two wins from eight games.
The moment that caught everyoneâs attention came on the very first ball of the third over during SRHâs innings. Ishan Kishan attempted a quick shot but missed cleanly after Deepak Chahar hit a leg-side ball. While there was no obvious protest from the MI players, Ishan began walking off the ground, seemingly presuming he had edged the ball and been caught behind. MI wicketkeeper Ryan Rickelton collected the ball easily but didnât show any immediate interest in appealing. Deepak Chahar and MI skipper Hardik Pandya appeared to be more bothered by the umpire’s original wide call.
The twist came when on-field umpire Vinod Seshan, who had first signaled a wide delivery, suddenly changed his decision and raised his finger, declaring Kishan out after watching him walk off voluntarily. This perplexed both fans and experts, especially since replays revealed no edge, as validated by Ultra Edge technology. The decision left Ishan extremely unhappy in the dressing room, as he was ejected for one run off four deliveries.
Reacting to the incident, Navjot Singh Sidhu was quick to express his disapproval of the umpireâs behavior. He wrote on social media, stating, âBuying trouble is as easy as pie, but the carrying charges run pretty high⌠Have you ever seen an umpire rule someone out without an appeal?â Sidhu squarely blamed the umpire for making a decision in the absence of a formal appeal, calling it an unnecessary controversy.
Link: Navjot Singh Sidhu’s Post
Virender Sehwag, however, took a different stance. He criticized Kishanâs premature decision to walk off, calling it a âbrain fade moment.â According to Sehwag, Ishan should have waited for the umpireâs decision, allowing the review system to play its part.
âMany times, the mind stops working in such pressure situations. This was a pure brain fade. At least wait. The umpire is also getting paid to do his job. Let him decide. I donât understand this kind of honesty. If it was a clear edge, maybe it wouldâve made sense. But here, even the umpire was confused. Suddenly, you started walking off, and that just added to the confusion,â Sehwag said.
He even cited former Australian cricketer Ricky Ponting, saying, âPonting used to say, âMy job is to bat; the umpireâs job is to make the decision.ââ Sehwag insisted that Kishan had no reason to walk off voluntarily, especially with technology like Ultra Edge available to correct any possible errors.
The dismissal has further worsened Ishan Kishan’s dismal performance in the IPL 2025. His performance has decreased drastically following his brilliant century against the Rajasthan Royals in the season opener. In his following seven innings, the left-hander managed only 33 runs at an average of 5.5.
As SRH seeks for consistency in their campaign, this incident has raised serious concernsânot only about player decision-making under pressure, but also about umpiring standards and the spirit of the game. Whether it was a rare display of sportsmanship gone wrong or simply poor decision-making, Ishan’s dismissal is sure to be remembered as one of the most bizarre moments of the IPL season.
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