Star India wicketkeeper-batter Dhruv Jurel found himself at the centre of a major controversy after his low catch to dismiss Sri Lanka opener Lahiru Udara was given out on Day 4 of the first Test.
The decision sparked plenty of debate, with neither the on-field footage nor the replays providing a clear answer on whether Jurel had completed the catch cleanly.
India ended the fourth day in a strong position and now need just six wickets on the final day to take a 1-0 lead in the two-match series. However, the biggest talking point from the day was the controversial dismissal of Udara.
The incident took place during the 22nd over, with Manav Suthar bowling to Udara. Jurel dived forward and appeared to take the ball close to the ground, but it was not immediately clear whether the ball had touched the surface before being secured. The clip of the incident went viral on social media; here is the video:
The third umpire decision on the Dhruv Jurel catch today is exactly why fans are losing faith in technology.
— Nervous90s (@Nrvs90s) August 18, 2026
Replays clearly showed a gap under the fingers where the leather made contact with the grass. If you need ten different angles and three minutes of slow-motion scrolling…
Udara was unsure about the dismissal and the decision was sent upstairs to third umpire Raveendra Wimalasiri.
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The replays showed the ball going into Jurel’s hands, but they failed to clearly show whether his fingers were underneath the ball. Jurel had taken the catch with his right hand, but as his body moved forward, the ball appeared to make contact with the ground.
After looking at the available footage, Wimalasiri decided that Jurel had completed the catch. The ‘OUT’ signal then appeared on the big screen.
Udara, who had scored 16 off 58 balls, was clearly unhappy with the decision and initially appeared reluctant to leave the field. However, with the third umpire confirming the dismissal, the Sri Lankan opener eventually walked back to the pavilion.
Former Sri Lanka cricketer Russell Arnold also questioned the decision while speaking during the broadcast.
“It has been pushed along the ground for a bit. The ball was pushed along the ground. You can see it was pushed along,” Arnold said.
He added that the slow-motion replay appeared to show the front of the ball touching the ground while Jurel was completing the catch.
The dismissal quickly became one of the biggest talking points of the Test, with fans and commentators split over whether Jurel had genuinely completed the catch.