After India lost the third Test match at Lord’s against England, many criticized umpire Paul Reiffel for his questionable decisions. Former Indian cricketer Ravichandran Ashwin also expressed his frustration and said he would definitely talk to the umpire if they meet again.

What Happened in the Match?

On the fourth day of the Lord’s Test, Indian bowler Mohammed Siraj appealed for an LBW against Joe Root. Umpire Paul Reiffel gave it not out, but on review, the ball was clearly hitting the stumps. Still, due to umpire’s call, the decision stayed not out, giving Root a lifeline.

In another incident, Shubman Gill was given out caught behind by the same umpire. But Gill took a DRS review, and the replay showed he was not out.

Ashwin’s Reaction

Ashwin criticized these decisions on his YouTube channel. He said:

“I want to have a word with him. I’m not saying he should give all decisions in our favour, but it always feels like when India is bowling, the batters are not out, and when India is batting, we are always out. If this is happening only with Team India, then ICC should look into the umpiring.”

What Ashwin’s Father Said

Ashwin also shared a conversation with his father during the match. He said:

“My father was watching the match with me and said, ‘Paul Reiffel is on the field, so we won’t win today.’ He feels that whenever Reiffel is umpiring, India loses the match. Maybe there’s something to it.”

Summary

• Ashwin criticized umpire Paul Reiffel for biased decisions.
• He mentioned two key incidents – Joe Root’s LBW escape and Gill’s wrong out decision.
• He said ICC must look at such patterns in umpiring.
• Ashwin’s father also believes that India tends to lose whenever Reiffel is umpiring.

Ashwin’s comments reflect the frustration in the Indian camp after a close and important loss in the series.