India skipper Virat Kohli's controversial leg before dismissal on day one of the second Test against New Zealand left the cricket world divided and umpires under the spotlight on Friday.<\/p>\r\n\r\n
Kohli was out for a duck to New Zealand's Mumbai-born spinner Ajaz Patel after the third umpire upheld the call of on-field official Anil Chaudhary.<\/p>\r\n\r\n
The star batsman, who returned to lead the side after he stepped down as Twenty20 captain and took a short break, asked for a review of the lbw decision.<\/p>\r\n\r\n
TV umpire Virender Sharma watched several replays, some angles of which suggested the ball could have hit the bat first.<\/p>\r\n\r\n
He was heard saying, "Ball and bat and pad appears to be together. I don't have any conclusive evidence to overturn that."<\/p>\r\n\r\n
A visibly upset Kohli returned to the pavilion after having a word with the other on-field umpire Nitin Menon and hit the boundary rope with his bat.<\/p>\r\n\r\n
Former India opener Wasim Jaffer told ESPNcricinfo, "just to say it was 'inconclusive evidence', I think it wasn't the right call. Disappointing decision".<\/p>\r\n\r\n
Former New Zealand skipper Daniel Vettori said "for me it seemed obvious there was an inside edge. For one man to sit there and try and make such a crucial decision, maybe the match referee can step in".<\/p>\r\n\r\n
However New Zealand's cricketer-turned-commentator Simon Doull backed the umpire's call and said the officials followed all the protocols to come to the decision.<\/p>\r\n\r\n
"There was no conclusive evidence that the ball hit the pad first. So, I think the process was followed. The process was right," Doull said on commentary.<\/p>\r\n\r\n
Former England captain Michael Vaughan wrote "NOT OUT" on Twitter while tagging a video of Kohli's lbw.<\/p>\r\n\r\n
Ex-India batting coach Sanjay Bangar said, "Clearly, it was an error on part of the umpire."<\/p>\r\n\r\n
The decision came at a crucial juncture with Patel, who got all four Indian wickets, getting two scalps in one over as India slipped to 80-3 after a solid opening stand.<\/p>\r\n\r\n