Virat Kohli said something needs to be done about the Zing bail technology at the World Cup, after another incident when a batsman survived after seeing the ball hit his stumps.
When he was on just one, Australia opener David Warner survived against India when the ball cannoned into his leg-stump, but the bails were not dislodged.
Although Warner went on to make a half-century, it did not cost India, as they ran out comfortable 36-run winners at The Oval.
It was the fifth time in the competition already that a bowler has hit the stumps without the bails falling from their grooves, and Kohli believes something needs to be done.
“This is not something you expect at the international level,” Kohli, the India captain, said. “The technology is great, the lights come on, and it is very precise when you make something happen with the stumps.
“But you literally have to smash the stumps really hard. I am saying that as a batsman, but if I see something happening like that, I will be very surprised also. These are fast bowlers, not medium paced bowlers.”
Kohli said that wicketkeeper MS Dhoni had checked the fittings of the wickets to see if it was unusually firm.
“We checked the stump hole as well, MS checked, and it [the stump] was not knocked in very hard, it was loose,” Kohli said.
“So I’m not sure what was wrong, whether it is the stump, the outer-coating of the stump, if the stump is too thick. I have no idea, but I’m sure no team likes to see stuff like that.
“If you bowl a good ball, the ball hits the stump, and the lights don’t come on and you don’t get the guy out. Or if the lights come on and the bail goes back onto the stumps. I haven’t seen that happen so many times in the past.”
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Aaron Finch, the Australia captain, said the increasing difficulties with affecting a bowled dismissal are “unfair”.
“We were on the right end of it today, but it is a bit unfair at times,” Finch said. “For Davey, it hit the stumps pretty hard. It does seem to be happening more and more, which is unfortunate. You would hate to see something like that happen in a World Cup final or semi-final.
“You have done the hard work as a fielding side to set a player up, or get the mistake, for it to not be rewarded.
“I’m not sure what you can do. I’m not sure how much lighter they can make the bails.”
