Sri Lankan umpire Kumar Dharmasena found himself at the center of controversy during the opening day of the fifth Test of the Anderson-Tendulkar Trophy between India and England. The incident occurred during the first session, drawing widespread backlash from fans and experts alike.
The moment in question unfolded in the 13th over of India’s first innings. England pacer Josh Tongue delivered a full ball that struck Indian batter Sai Sudharsan on the pads, prompting a strong LBW appeal. Dharmasena, standing as the on-field umpire, turned down the appeal and correctly so, as replays later confirmed an inside edge onto the pad.
However, what sparked outrage was Dharmasena’s gesture to the England fielders. Before the 15-second window to opt for a review had expired, he appeared to indicate that the ball had hit the bat. This cue was seemingly picked up by England captain Ollie Pope, who decided against taking the review, potentially saving one based on the umpire’s subtle signal.
Social Media in Split
Social media users were quick to react, with many accusing Dharmasena of overstepping his role. Critics argued that the umpire should not offer any reasoning for his decision before the fielding side makes up its mind about using the DRS. The general sentiment was that such actions could unfairly influence the course of the game.
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Is Kumar Dharmasena Helping England Bowlers ??
— Mayank (@mayankcdp) July 31, 2025
By explaining the reason of Denying an appeal 🤔🤔#INDvsENG #INDvsENGTest pic.twitter.com/Chu6RitSAq
Why is Sri Lankan umpire Kumar Dharmasena telling the English bowler that it's a clear edge by showing his fingers?@ICC what's going on ? Clearly he is fixing there because he showed that signal that's why English fielders don't appeal after that and don't go for review… pic.twitter.com/hkqu6UFd2X
— MK (@mkr4411) July 31, 2025
Former England Skipper Weighs In
Former England captain Michael Atherton also weighed in, suggesting that India might feel aggrieved and would have preferred England to lose a review over the incident.
Earlier in the day, England had successfully used the review system to dismiss Indian opener Yashasvi Jaiswal. Gus Atkinson’s delivery was initially deemed not out by umpire Ahsan Raza, but DRS revealed the ball was crashing into the stumps. The decision was overturned, handing England an early breakthrough.
Interestingly, the successful review against Jaiswal marked the first time Ollie Pope had gotten a DRS call right while captaining England in Tests. Before this match, he had captained the side in four Tests and made 14 unsuccessful reviews in a row.
While Dharmasena’s call on the Sudharsan LBW was technically correct, his gesture during the appeal has stirred debate over the umpire’s role and impartiality and whether such interventions cross a line.
