[Watch] “You Can’t Talk Like That!” — Umpire Dharmasena Fumes at KL Rahul During Heated Oval Clash
KL Rahul clashes with umpire Kumar Dharmasena during Oval Test after defending Prasidh Krishna in heated exchange with Joe Root. Umpire demands post-match talk.
The fifth and final Test of the Anderson-Tendulkar Trophy between India and England is witnessing not just intense cricket but rising tempers too.
On Day 2 at The Oval, an unexpected moment of drama unfolded when umpire Kumar Dharmasena had a fiery exchange with India’s senior batter KL Rahul, following an on-field argument involving Joe Root and Prasidh Krishna.
Root vs Prasidh Sparks It Off
The flashpoint began when former England captain Joe Root, after hitting a boundary off Prasidh Krishna, appeared to exchange words with the Indian pacer.
Root seemed unhappy with Prasidh getting too close after the delivery. Things escalated quickly, forcing on-field umpires Ahsan Raza and Kumar Dharmasena to step in.
KL Rahul, who was at the crease and witnessed the entire situation, stepped in to defend his teammate. But what followed was a tense conversation between him and Dharmasena.
“You Can’t Talk Like That” – Dharmasena to Rahul
As per visuals aired on JioHotstar, KL Rahul questioned the umpire’s actions and tone, saying:
“What do you want us to do? Just bat and bowl and go home?”
To this, Dharmasena responded sharply:
“You can’t talk like that. No Rahul, we should not go on that way. We’ll discuss at the end of the match.”
Rahul had earlier suggested the umpiring was biased:
“Do you just want us to bat and bowl and not do anything else on the field?”
Dharmasena appeared upset with Rahul’s tone and reportedly ordered the Indian opener to meet him after the match to further discuss the matter.
England Lead Narrows as India Fights Back
Despite the on-field drama, India clawed back into the game. After England’s openers Zak Crawley and Ben Duckett stitched together a 92-run stand, India bounced back thanks to Mohammed Siraj and Prasidh Krishna, who both took four wickets each to dismiss England for 245, giving the hosts a slender 23-run lead.
At stumps, India reached 75/2 in their second innings, leading by 52 runs. Yashasvi Jaiswal remained unbeaten on 51, with Akash Deep giving him company.
Earlier in the day, India had posted 224 in their first innings, with Karun Nair top-scoring with 57, while England’s Gus Atkinson took five wickets.
