KKR vs RCB IPL 2024: Was Kohli out? What does the rule say?

Virat Kohli was fumed after his dismissal in the KKR vs RCB match in Kolkata on Sunday. Kohli, who was caught and bowled by Harshit Rana in the third over of the second inning, was unhappy with the TV umpire's decision after the on-field umpires took a review for the incident. 

Virat Kohli was unhappy with the third umpire's decision of "OUT"

What are your thoughts on this?#ViratKohli #KKRvRCB #KKRvsRCB #IPL2024 #Kohli pic.twitter.com/LI9al5x947

— Sportz Point (@sportz_point) April 21, 2024

After Kohli's dismissal on 18 from 7 balls, he had a word with the umpires about the decision. The on-field umpires told Virat Kohli that the ball was going down and since Kohli met the ball outside the crease, the ball would have ended below waist high if he was inside the crease at standing position.

But what does the rule tell?

Here is what the MCC rulebook says:

41.7    Bowling of dangerous and unfair non-pitching deliveries
41.7.1    Any delivery, which passes or would have passed, without pitching, above waist height of the striker standing upright at the popping crease, is unfair. Whenever such a delivery is bowled, the umpire shall call and signal No ball.
41.7.2    The bowling of a delivery as defined in 41.7.1 is also dangerous if the bowler's end umpire considers that there is a risk of injury to the striker. In making that judgement the umpire shall:
- disregard any protective equipment worn by the striker be mindful of:
- the speed, height and direction of the delivery the skill of the striker
- the repeated nature of such deliveries.

Indian Premier League from this season has removed the subjective element involved in deciding the above-waist no-balls. In coordination with the Hawk-eye, they have introduced technology to measure the height of the ball as it passes the batter at the popping crease. 

After that, the height of the ball is matched with the toe-to-waist height of the batter in an upright position, which was already recorded during the photoshoot. 

So, since the technology suggested that the ball would have been lower than the height of Virat Kohli's toe-to-waist height in an upright position, the TV umpire Michael Gough had to give that out.