Jason Holder addressed the fuss around his catch that dismissed Rajat Patidar during Gujarat Titans’ win over Royal Challengers Bengaluru in Ahmedabad on Thursday. The incident dominated the early part of the chase, with both Patidar and Holder becoming the focus as the match swung after the wicket fell.
Patidar’s dismissal sparks controversy in Ahmedabad
Patidar came in at No. 4 following Virat Kohli’s dismissal for 28. He began looking to build a stand with Devdutt Padikkal, but his stay at the crease ended in the eighth over.
The controversy erupted over the way Patidar was dismissed. Arshad Khan delivered a hard length ball, and Patidar attempted a pull shot. Instead, he top-edged it, sending the ball over short fine leg.
Kagiso Rabada immediately turned and sprinted to his right to reach the ball. At the same time, Holder moved across to the right side of the fielding area. Holder committed fully to the chance, extending his hands out in the direction of the catch and getting the ball held low on the slide.
However, the on-field decision was delayed as Patidar was asked to wait while the third umpire checked whether the catch was legal. During the review, replays suggested the ball—while in Holder’s left hand as he slid—was touching the turf. Even so, the third umpire ruled it fair, judging that Holder was in control of his body throughout the attempt.
RCB’s reaction and the key debate
From RCB’s perspective, the ball was seen touching the ground as Holder completed the take. That disagreement led to visible frustration among RCB players during the review, with the reserve umpire being surrounded. Kohli, in particular, was noticeably upset at the decision.
Kohli was also seen having an animated conversation with the match official, and Andy Flower joined the discussion as well.
Holder explains his mindset after the wicket
Speaking after the match, Holder said he simply went with the moment when the opportunity presented itself. He explained that once he got into position, he focused on tracking the ball and taking it cleanly.
Holder also noted that the situation carried a risk of collision, but he felt that both batters and fielders managed to avoid contact. He added that he did not hold back from the attempt and wanted to ensure that at least one of the players made a strong effort to get there.
He further spoke about KG’s batting impact and suggested that the message from the dismissal was tied to the fact that the bowler had to respond to a batter who played some excellent shots.
Holder also discussed the wider plan behind the bowling. He said that if a bowler sticks to the same length and continues to hit the wicket with as much pace as possible, the ball can still offer bounce. He credited the delivery and execution with the result, while also pointing out that even though the early overs might not have gone as intended, the team managed to recover by bowling better in the subsequent overs to get back into the contest.
After the wicket: Padikkal’s short stay and cheap dismissals
The dismissal proved crucial because Padikkal could not form any meaningful partnership with the batters around him, with other wickets falling cheaply. Jitesh Sharma made just 1 run, Tim David scored 9, and Krunal Pandya also departed without adding much, as Padikkal’s dismissal came in the 14th over.
- Rajat Patidar lost his wicket in the eighth over after attempting a pull and top-edging Arshad Khan’s delivery over short fine leg.
- The catch was reviewed; the third umpire ruled it fair despite replays indicating the ball may have touched the ground while Holder was sliding.
- RCB players, including Virat Kohli, were visibly frustrated during the review and discussed the decision with the match officials.
- After Patidar’s exit, Devdutt Padikkal failed to build a partnership, and other batters were dismissed for single-digit scores.
