"Kohli was out according to the current laws" - Aakash Chopra on Virat Kohli's controversial dismissal in RCB's IPL 2024 loss to KKR

Aakash Chopra has noted that Virat Kohli was given out correctly in the Royal Challengers Bengaluru's (RCB) IPL 2024 loss to the Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR).

KKR set RCB a 223-run target in Kolkata on Sunday, April 21. Kohli was given out caught-and-bowled off a full toss that he met above his waist while standing well outside the crease during the chase. The visitors eventually lost the game by a solitary run to be virtually knocked out of the tournament.

Reflecting on RCB's chase in a video shared on his YouTube channel, Chopra claimed that Kohli was ruled out fairly.

"Was Virat Kohli out? The debate is whether it was right or wrong based on the existing laws. Kohli was out according to the current laws. It seemed not out with the naked eye but nothing happens with the naked eye. He was out based on laws and existing technology," he said (2:00).

The former India opener pointed out that the ball would have been below the RCB opener's waist had he been standing upright at the pooping crease and was thus a legal delivery as per the existing laws.

"Every player's height and the distance from the ground to their waist have been measured. So there is no ambiguity now. There is no gray area. Cricket has some laws. Your height till your head and waist are considered while standing upright at the crease," Chopra explained.

"With the naked eye, it seemed like it was not out but it was a slower one, Kohli was standing outside and the point of impact was even further away. The ball had to travel from there till the crease. Ball trajectory is quite accurate and it showed that it would have been below his waist height if he had been standing at the crease and that's where it stops," the reputed commentator added.

Kohli struck two sixes and a four in his seven-ball 18 to give RCB a flying start. However, the bottom-placed team on the points table were quickly reduced to 35/2 when Faf du Plessis followed his opening partner to the dugout.

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"Where there is a will, there is a way" - Aakash Chopra lauds RCB's Will Jacks

Will Jacks smashed 55 runs off 32 deliveries. [P/C: ipt20.com]

Aakash Chopra praised Will Jacks and Rajat Patidar (52 off 23) for stitching together a blazing 102-run third-wicket partnership.

"Will Jacks is a quality player. I was surprised that he wasn't made to bowl. However, he batted incredibly well. Where there is a will, there is a way. Rajat Patidar also joined the party along with him. Both of them scored good runs but then a collapse," he said (6:15).

The former KKR player noted that RCB lost a flurry of wickets when they seemed headed for an easy win and that Dinesh Karthik too couldn't take them over the line.

"It seemed at one stage that you would walk to a victory, but suddenly Will Jacks, Rajat Patidar and Mahipal Lomror got out, and you asked Dinesh Karthik to save you again. This time DK couldn't save you," Chopra observed.

Karthik was dismissed for an 18-ball 25 off the final ball of the penultimate over. Although Karn Sharma smoked three sixes in Mitchell Starc's final over, the three-time IPL finalists fell agonizingly short in the end.