What stood out was not just the DRS appeal, but the conversation it triggered. India’s Smriti Mandhana, who walked towards the umpire, seemingly argued that once Litchfield switched her stance, the leg-stump rule should apply as if she were a right-handed batter.

While the third umpire ultimately upheld decided to overturn the original LBW call, stating that the ball had pitched outside the leg stump in relation to Litchfield’s position as a left-hander, it didn’t come without discontent. Smriti Mandhana and Deepti Sharma were visibly frustrated, expressing their belief that the switch hit should have changed the calculation.

According to law 36.3, ‘The off side of the striker’s wicket shall be determined by the striker’s batting position at the moment the ball comes into play for that delivery’.

However, the fans on X were disappointed with the ruling, calling for potential change to the law to accommodate for the batter’s shift in position.

A quickfire cameo

Though Litchfield had already begun walking back to the pavilion, she resumed her innings and went on to score a quickfire 15 from 9 balls, which included a six off Shreyanka Patil over mid-wicket. Australia posted 151/8, with Grace Harris top-scoring with a 40-run knock, while Tahlia McGrath and Ellyse Perry contributed 32 each. Renuka Singh and Deepti Sharma were the standout bowlers for India, picking up two wickets apiece.