Virat Kohli tread a fine line during RCB's IPL game against Delhi Capitals on Sunday (April 27), potentially opening himself up to the chance of a dismissal for obstructing the field.
The two sides faced off at the Arun Jaitley Stadium in Delhi, their second matchup of the season after DC had won in Bengaluru on April 10.
Match 46, Delhi Capitals vs Royal Challengers Bengaluru
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The hosts were sent in by RCB skipper Rajat Patidar, and after a quick start from Abishek Porel, their innings meandered through the middle overs as Faf du Plessis and KL Rahul struggled to really get going. Rahul scored 41 before he was dismissed by Bhuvneshwar Kumar in the 17th over, and it was Tristan Stubbs' 34 (18) that helped boost DC's total to 162-8.
Jacob Bethell then started well on IPL debut in the chase, but both he and Devdutt Padikkal were removed by DC skipper Axar Patel in the third over. The following over, Rajat Patidar was run out by Karun Nair to leave RCB 26-3, bringing Krunal Pandya to the crease.
RCB were 35-3 after six overs, when leg spinner Vipraj Nigam came on to bowl. His first ball landed on a length, and was pushed by Virat Kohli to midwicket. The batters did not take a run, each one remaining firmly in their ground.
As the throw came in from the midwicket fielder to wicketkeeper KL Rahul though, Kohli stuck a hand out to catch it, and return it to the bowler for the next delivery. Kuldeep Yadav, stationed inside the 30-yard circle, jokingly appealed for Kohli to be out, laughing even as he made the gesture.
But potentially, it could have been more serious for Kohli.
Could Virat Kohli have been given out obstructing the field?
Had Kuldeep (or any other member of the fielding team) made a genuine appeal to the umpires, Kohli could well have been given out. According to clause 37.4 of the IPL Playing Conditions, "Either batter is out Obstructing the field if, at any time while the ball is in play and, without the consent of a fielder, he uses the bat or any part of his person to return the ball to any fielder."
Kohli's defence in this case could well have been that the ball was already dead before he caught it. But had an appeal come in, it would not have been, as the ball would neither have been settled in the wicketkeeper's gloves, nor would the fielding team have regarded the ball as having ceased to be in play – perhaps making him liable to be out for obstruction.
This is not the first time Kohli has played with fire regarding obstruction. In the Champions Trophy earlier this year, he similarly intercepted a throw against Pakistan, with Sunil Gavaskar saying on air that he was "lucky nobody appealed".
In the end, Kuldeep may have wished his appeal was more serious. Kohli was on 15 at the time, and went on to anchor RCB's chase with a knock of 51.
