The IPL 2026 match between GT and RCB was marked by controversy after Jason Holder took a disputed catch to dismiss Rajat Patidar. The third umpire's decision to rule it 'out' left Virat Kohli and the RCB camp in disbelief, sparking a massive debate among fans on social media.
The IPL 2026 clash between the Gujarat Titans and Royal Challengers Bengaluru turned controversial after Jason Holder took a catch of Rajat Patidar that left Virat Kohli visibly shocked at the Narendra Modi Stadium in Ahmedabad on April 30.
After being put into bat first by GT captain Shubman Gill, RCB openers Virat Kohli and Jacob Bethell provided a quick start to the innings, with Kohli smashing 21 runs off Kagiso Rabada in a single over. The hosts struck a key breakthrough as Mohammed Siraj dismissed Bethell for 5, before Rabada had the last laugh by removing Kohli for 28, reducing RCB to 35/2.
Thereafter, Devdutt Padikkal was joined by Rajat Patidar at the crease, and the pair formed a 44-run stand for the third wicket before Arshad Khan dismissed the RCB skipper after Jason Holder took a controversial catch near the boundary line, providing another breakthrough for the GT.
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Holder’s Controversial Catch Leaves Kohli in Disbelief
Rajat Patidar’s dismissal has sparked controversy after Jason Holder’s catch near the boundary line raised doubts over whether the ball was cleanly taken or had touched the ground. The incident took place in the 8th over when Patidar attempted a pull shot but got a top edge off Arshad Khan’s delivery, which went deep towards deep backward square leg.
Holder, who was positioned at deep backward square leg, sprinted across and dived to complete a low catch. The West Indies all-rounder narrowly escaped a collision with Kagiso Rabada, who was also charging in from the infield in an attempt to take the same catch.
The third umpire reviewed the catch by Jason Holder and upheld the on-field decision, confirming Rajat Patidar’s dismissal as out. However, Virat Kohli, who was in the dugout, was not convinced that the catch was clean and argued with the fourth umpire, as he appeared to tell that the ball touched the ground.
Even RCB head Andy Flower was also seen arguing with the fourth umpire over it, suggesting that the ball may have touched the ground before the catch was completed.
Rajat Patidar waited with a hope of overturning the decision, as the replays were closely examined by the third umpire, but the third umpire eventually stuck with the original call, ruling him out despite the ongoing on-field debate and visible disagreement from the RCB camp.
‘Out or Not Out?’ - Third Umpire’s Decision Sparks Controversy
Jason Holder’s controversial catch of Rajat Patidar, which was upheld by the third umpire, sparked a debate on social media, especially X (formerly Twitter), with fans and cricket enthusiasts questioning whether the ball was cleanly taken or had touched the ground before the dismissal was confirmed.
Taking to their X handles, fans and cricket enthusiasts questioned the third umpire’s decision, with many insisting the ball had touched the ground and calling for clearer camera evidence in such tight boundary-line catches.
Meanwhile, Royal Challengers Bengaluru were bundled out for 155 in 19.2 overs. Devdutt Padikkal led the batting with an innings of 40 off 24 balls, while Romario Shepherd (17), Venkatesh Iyer (12), and Bhuvneshwar Kumar made useful contributions in the lower order but failed to take the team to a competitive finish.
For the Gujarat Titans, Arshad Khan led the batting with figures of 3/22 at an economy rate of 6.60 in 6.2 overs. Jason Holder (2/29) and Rashid Khan (2/19) also chipped in with two wickets each, as GT tightened their grip on the contest with a disciplined bowling effort.
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