India are currently busy hosting Australia in the ongoing Border-Gavaskar Trophy. However, the Men in Blue have now a 2-0 lead over the visitors by defeating them in the first two matches convincingly. Now, they will be in action again on 1 March 2023 in Indore. However, after this series, India will play a three-match ODI series against the Aussies.
The series will be a crucial one in the context of the upcoming ODI World Cup in India in 2023. Meanwhile, the team India squad for that series has been announced after the completion of the Delhi Test. Now, according to a noting on the Governing Body of Cricket’s website under the section: ‘Apex Council of Cricket Umpire and Referee appointments, Nitin Menon will be the on-field umpire in all three ODI matches between India and Australia.
Nitin Menon gave a controversial decision against Virat Kohli in the Delhi Test
Nitin Menon and KN Padmanabhan will officiant on the field in the first ODI at Mumbai on 17 March. Virender Sharma will be the third umpire. Then, Menon and Sharma will be the on-field umpires in the second ODI at Vizag on 19 March while Jayaram Madangopal will be the third umpire. Then, in the third ODI at Chennai on 22 March, Menon and Madangopal will officiant on the field while Padmanabhan will be the third umpire. After hearing such news, Virat Kohli fans were not happy due to the recent incident happened involving the umpire and the star batter during the Delhi Test. In the first innings of that Test, Kohli scored 44 runs off 84 balls, including four boundaries.
However, it became controversy for the decision given by the umpire, Nitin Menon. The incident took place during the 50th over of India’s innings when Matthew Kuhnemann was bowling. On the third delivery of that over, Kohli went for a front-foot defense. But, the ball hit the pads and the Aussies went for a loud appeal. Umpire Nitin Menon gave him out and Kohli went for a review. During the replay, it was seen that the ball might have hit both the pad and bat at the same time. But, the third umpire, Richard Illingworth did not overturn the decision and thus, Kohli got out. Fans also shared their views as they claimed that it was not the first time a decision from Menon did not in favor of the batter.
Here are some viral memes regarding Virat Kohli after Nitin Menon gets confirmed as the official for the three-match ODI series against the Aussies:
Virat kohli pic.twitter.com/frkOyuAPfR
— RP (@meerkali7781) February 21, 2023
— Ankit (@ankitkr0) February 21, 2023
— Nanee (@i_Naneeee) February 21, 2023
Virat Kohli : pic.twitter.com/ZeupvJurPG
— Cricket With Laresh (@Lareshhere) February 21, 2023
It ain't easy bro pic.twitter.com/mtsRTfJxo8
— Em!N€nt $oC!@li$t (@Insane__Emi) February 21, 2023
All the best Virat 😅😅 pic.twitter.com/I05CJ93vdj
— BOT 🤖 (@X0_BOT_0X) February 21, 2023
— Pratham. (@75thHundredWhen) February 21, 2023
Virat kohli pic.twitter.com/RvFin4AdkS
— Cricman (@sportymanas3) February 21, 2023