The video examples presented at the IPL captains’ meeting offered a closer look at how the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) interprets “complete control” while taking a catch. The presentation, details of which were reported by Cricbuzz earlier, included several past dismissals cited as reference points, with BCCI experts indicating that some of those decisions were illegal according to their interpretation of the law.
Among the cases highlighted, in footage accessed by Cricbuzz, were Roston Chase in a T20I against Bangladesh in Kingstown in December 2024 and Angelo Mathews in a Test against Australia in Galle in February 2025. Both were dismissed at key junctures, and their teams went on to lose.
Ayush Badoni against Sunrisers Hyderabad (SRH) in Hyderabad last year adds to that list. The Lucknow Supergiants (LSG) batter was adjudged out when he should not have been. Fortunately for LSG, the dubious dismissal did not cost them the match. They went on to beat the home side by five wickets.
Javagal Srinath, the BCCI’s chief match referee, and Nitin Menon, umpires’ panel head, are clear that Badoni was wrongly given out – just as Mathews in Galle and Chase in the Caribbean in the aforementioned matches. In all three cases, it was felt that the fielder was not in complete control.
BCCI experts’ interpretation of these decisions contradicts the adjudications by match umpires ©Cricbuzz
The entire exercise served as a reminder to captains on incomplete catches and premature celebrations, while also highlighting how the interpretation of the playing condition can vary from umpire to umpire and referee to referee.
In this instance, Mathews was on 76 when he attempted a sweep off Nathan Lyon in the second innings. Beau Webster completed a tumbling catch, but the BCCI experts do not deem it a fair grab. Their verdict: ‘The fielder was not in control of his movement while releasing the ball – NOT OUT.’
Cricbuzz’s ball-by-ball commentary of the dismissal went like this:
Lyon to Mathews, out Caught by Webster!! Oh dear! That’s such a giveaway from Mathews, fought hard, got a start and he’s thrown his wicket away. He’s picked out one of the safest catcher around in this Australian team, bows his head down and walks away distraught. Was tossed up on middle and leg, and the drift took it past the leg-stump, Mathews was shaping for the sweep, but he’s never given a thought of keeping it down, plays under the ball and then lifts it over backward square leg – Webster runs to his left, bends forward and completes a fine two-handed catch, ensured that the ball didn’t pop out when he tumbled onto the floor. Mathews c Webster b Lyon 76(149) [4s-4 6s-1].
Adrian Holdstock and Joel Wilson were the on-field umpires, with Jeff Crowe serving as the match referee. Sri Lanka lost the Test and the series 2-0.
Screengrab from BCCI video: Webster not in control as he released the ball ©Cricbuzz
It was always a doubtful catch by Mahedi Hasan at mid-off and Cricbuzz’s ball-by-ball commentary mentioned it as much. There was an element of suspicion whether the fielder’s body was in control and curiously enough the catch was declared fair by the third umpire. The BCCI verdict was: ‘Clearly not in control of his movement as the ball is released. Catch has not been completed – NOT OUT.’
This is how Cricbuzz’s ball-by-ball commentary went like:
Hasan Mahmud to Roston Chase, out Caught by Mahedi Hasan!! They are checking if Mahedi had total control of the catch, the third ump is satisfied he has. Roston Chase turned into an S by this back of a length delivery angling in, he tries to push and the thick leading-edge lobs to the left of mid-off, Mahedi runs in and leaps a little to catch it, as he is going down, he throws the ball away, that’s the bone of contention as to if he had control of the ball, he had. Hasan Mahmud gets Chase for a duck. Roston Chase c Mahedi Hasan b Hasan Mahmud 0(4).
Deighton Butler and Leslie Reifer were the on-field umpires and Zahid Bassarath was the TV umpire. Jeff Crowe, again, was the match referee. Chase was out for a duck and the West Indies lost the match (by 80 runs) and the series (3-0).
Screengrab from BCCI video: Mahedi not in control on release ©Cricbuzz
The dismissal did not cost Lucknow Supergiants dearly as they went on to win their away match against Sunrisers Hyderabad last year but the running-diving catch by Harshal Patel looked suspicious as his movement did not appear to be fully in control. The BCCI experts thought so too. Their verdict: ‘Not in control of his movement as he throws the ball. – NOT OUT.’
Cricbuzz’s ball-by-ball commentary went like this:
Zampa to Ayush Badoni, out Caught by Harshal Patel!! Brilliant take in the deep from Harshal! Was the googly on a fuller length on off, Ayush Badoni read it correctly and went for the slog sweep but only managed to get a top-edge towards deep mid-wicket. Harshal runs in, keeps his eyes on the ball and dives in front to take it inches above the ground with both hands. It was dying on him but Harshal judged it really well and timed his dive to perfection.
Ulhas Gandhe and Abhijit Bhattacharya were the on-field umpires and Narayanan Kutty was the match referee.
Screengrab from BCCI video: Harshal not in control on release ©Cricbuzz
Saud Shakeel was caught by Matt Henry at the boundary line off Will O’Rourke. The catch was clean and the verdict was straightforward too. BCCI’s verdict: ‘Keeps ball off ground until he is fully in control of his movement – OUT’
Cricbuzz’s ball-by-ball commentary is below:
William O’Rourke to Saud Shakeel, out Caught by Matt Henry!! Edgeddd and taken. Henry claims the low catch. He had to run to the right, dive, take the catch and roll. Judged it so well into his hands. Short of a length and harmless outside off stump, Saud looks to cut, gets a thick edge that unfortunately travels all the way to third man. Henry showed great control there with the catch. Saud Shakeel c Matt Henry b William O’Rourke 6 (19)
Pakistan lost the match 60 runs. Richard Kettleborough and Sharfuddoula were the umpires. Andy Pycroft was the match referee.
Screengrab from BCCI video: Henry kept the ball off the ground until he was in control ©Cricbuzz
BCCI pundits signed off on Nqabayomzi Peter’s catch off Kwena Maphaka, which resonated with Herschelle Gibbs’ ‘iconic’ drop off Steve Waugh in the 1999 World Cup. Umpires ruled that Cameron Green’s full-blooded shot had been taken fairly by Peter with a diving effort at mid-wicket, even though the subsequent throw did not go as intended – like Gibbs’. Both the on-field umpires and BCCI experts upheld the decision. The verdict: ‘The fielder’s momentum had fully stopped with the ball in hand; the catch was complete at that point-OUT.’
Cricbuzz’s ball-by-ball commentary of the wicket goes like this:
Kwena Maphaka to Green, out Caught by Ngabayomzi Peter!! Fair call that from the third ump. It’s a superb catch at mid-wicket.. It’s short of length on off, Green pulls flat and Peter dives to his right and gets low with both hands to take it inches from the turf. As he gets up to throw the ball away in celebration, it hits the thigh and falls to ground. But by then he already had enough control of the catch. The third ump has a look and feels Peter has done enough. Shades of Herschelle Gibbs in the 99 World Cup against Australia. This time the decision goes in SA’s favor. Green c Nqabayomzi Peter b Kwena Maphaka 9 (7) [4s-2].
Australia lost the match by 53 runs. Phillip Gillespie and Shawn Craig were the on-field umpires and Andy Pycroft was the match referee.
Screengrab from BCCI video: Though the ball slipped out, Peter had control after completing the dive ©Cricbuzz
In all the above instances, the BCCI pundits went in letter and spirit by the Clause 33.3 of the Match Playing Conditions (MPC) which states: “The act of making a catch shall start from the time when the ball first comes into contact with a fielder’s person and shall end when a fielder obtains complete control over both the ball and his own movement.”