04 May, 2025 | 11:07 AM

A moment of hesitation from Dewald Brevis and Ravindra Jadeja may have cost Chennai Super Kings (CSK) their high-stakes IPL 2025 clash against Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) at the M Chinnaswamy Stadium on May 3.

Chasing a challenging 214, CSK were well in the game when the incident unfolded in the 17th over. Lungi Ngidi bowled a knee-high full toss that struck Brevis on the pad. The umpire immediately raised his finger, declaring the batter out leg-before-wicket. However, confusion followed as Brevis and Jadeja set off for a run instead of considering a review immediately. By the time Brevis turned to consult Jadeja and decided to review, the 15-second window had expired.

According to IPL's playing conditions, players have just 15 seconds from the moment the ball becomes dead—immediately after an umpire’s decision—to opt for a DRS review. Despite protests from Brevis and Jadeja, the umpires, Nitin Menon and Mohit Krishnadas, declined the review request. Replays later confirmed the ball was sliding down leg, meaning Brevis would have survived had the review been taken in time.

“It was a big moment,” CSK head coach Stephen Fleming admitted after the match. “In talking to Jaddu [Jadeja] and Brevis, there was a lot going on. They saw the ball ricochet and thought it went to the boundary. Lost in that was whether Brevis took the review in time. The umpires felt he didn’t.”

Fleming further explained that while CSK could have retained the wicket with a successful review, the potential boundary would not have counted, as the ball was declared dead after the out decision.

At the time of Brevis’ dismissal, CSK needed 42 runs off 21 balls. The match ultimately went down to the wire, with RCB emerging victorious by a mere two runs. Brevis’ failure to review loomed large in the post-match analysis.

Match experts were critical of the lapse. Danny Morrison, speaking on ESPNcricinfo’s Time Out, questioned the delay. “Why are you saving your reviews? Do you cash those in? Do you get some money at the end of the game?” he asked, calling it a clear “mistake.”

Piyush Chawla echoed the sentiment, especially considering Brevis’ form heading into the game. “There’s no need to discuss. With three-and-a-half overs left and two reviews in hand, it should have been immediate,” Chawla said.

Brevis, who had scored 42 and 32 in his previous two innings, was dismissed for a first-ball duck. The moment underlined how small lapses in judgment can have significant consequences in high-pressure matches.

With the defeat, CSK lost a crucial opportunity to climb the points table, while RCB celebrated another thrilling win at home.