[IPL 2025] DRS Controversy: Dewald Brevis Out Without Timer, Rohit Sharma Took Late Review – Double Standards?

The sensational encounter at M. Chinnaswamy Stadium has sparked another controversy in IPL 2025 amidst Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) take on Chennai Super Kings (CSK) on Saturday, May 3. RCB defeated CSK by just 2 runs but this could've been a different story had Dewald Brevis stayed longer at the crease. People again on social media raised the question, is IPL scripted? 

Turmoil in the 17th over

The high-stakes RCB vs CSK IPL 2025 clash took a controversial turn in the 17th over when CSK batter Dewald Brevis was given out LBW by umpire Nitin Menon. Brevis, shocked with the decision, walked back to the dugout, and incidentally, so was Ravindra Jadeja, his batting partner, who had never seen such a bizarre instance in his life. CSK's chase of 213 was marching well thus far, and the dismissal of an in-form Brevis at such an important time in the match had broken a vital rhythm.

Lungi Ngidi bowled a full toss that struck Brevis on the pad. From the naked eye, it appeared the ball was going down the leg side. Despite this, Ngidi and other RCB players went up in a loud appeal, prompting umpire Menon to raise his finger instantly. The decision came as a blow to CSK, who had just lost Ayush Mhatre the previous delivery after his brilliant 94 off 48 balls. Brevis entered as the fifth batter with CSK at 172, and expectations were high that he would help guide the team to victory alongside Jadeja.

Read More: IPL 2025: KKR vs RR Match 53- Who will be Impact Players for today's match?

Following the decision, Brevis turned to Jadeja for a quick conversation about reviewing it. However, confusion arose as the standard 15-second DRS timer was missing from the screen. Players typically rely on this on-screen timer to decide if they want to challenge an umpire’s decision. With no visible countdown, Jadeja looked around in uncertainty, seemingly waiting for the clock to appear. By the time they attempted to signal for a review, the umpire deemed it too late, leading to frustration among CSK players and fans. When Dewald signaled the umpire for DRS, Menon, the umpire in charge on the field, asked him to leave the ground. Dewald was shaking his head in disbelief, Jadeja was arguing with the umpire to reconsider his decision, and commenters labeled the whole situation controversial. 

Worst umpiring decision of the #IPL2025 😢

Dewald Brevis Wasn't allowed to use DRS as he ran out of the time and Timer was not shown on screen ❌

Is the match fixed or not ?#RCBvsCSK pic.twitter.com/lImk4MFkP8

— Indian Cricket Team (@incricketteam) May 3, 2025

Mumbai Indians vs. Rajasthan Royals (MI vs. RR), Match 50, IPL 2025

A similar controversy unfolded during the Mumbai Indians vs Rajasthan Royals clash in IPL 2025. In the second over of the first innings, Rohit Sharma was given out by the on-field umpire. The 15-second DRS timer appeared clearly on the screen. Rohit, after a brief discussion with Ryan Rickelton, signaled for a review—but crucially, he did so after the timer had already expired. Despite this, the umpire accepted the review, raising eyebrows and triggering discussions about consistency in DRS enforcement.

This incident has drawn comparisons with the Dewald Brevis controversy in the RCB vs CSK match, where no 15-second timer was displayed on screen. Brevis was denied a review after being given out LBW, despite clear confusion on the field. Ravindra Jadeja appeared to be waiting for the timer to appear before making a decision. Fans are now questioning why Rohit Sharma was granted a DRS after the timer ran out, while Brevis was denied the chance altogether. The inconsistency has fueled outrage among CSK supporters and sparked renewed debate about fairness and transparency in the use of DRS during crucial IPL matches.

Two controversial DRS moments in IPL 2025

1. Rohit Sharma took DRS when the DRS timer showed 0 seconds left.

2. Dewald Brevis ran out of DRS time limit without a timer on screen.