Indian cricket team batter KL Rahul was involved in a heated exchange with on-field umpire Kumar Dharmasena during Day 2 of the fifth Test match against England at The Oval on Friday. The incident occurred after a verbal spat between England batter Joe Root and India pacer Prasidh Krishna. Dharmasena intervened to calm things down, but Rahul stepped in to defend his teammate.

In the middle of the conversation, KL Rahul questioned the expectations placed on players' behavior. He asked the umpire, “What do you want us to do? Be quiet?” To which Dharmasena responded, “You will like any bowler to come and walk to you? No, you can't do that. No, Rahul, we should not go on that way.” Rahul, still dissatisfied, pressed further, “What do you want us to do? Just bat and bowl and go home?” Dharmasena closed the discussion with, “We will discuss at the end of the match. You can't talk like that.”

Meanwhile, on the field, India finished Day 2 in a strong position at 75/2, gaining a 52-run lead at stumps. Yashasvi Jaiswal was the standout performer with a composed and unbeaten 51, guiding the innings with poise.

India take control after heated exchange

KL Rahul and Sai Sudharsan were dismissed early in the second innings, scoring 7 and 11 respectively. Josh Tongue dismissed Rahul and Gus Atkinson had Sudharsan on the way back too. But Jaiswal's attacking intent quickly wiped off the 23 run deficit.

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KL Rahul to Dharmasena:

"What do you want us to do, keep quiet?
"What do you want us to do, bat bowl and go home?"

KL Rahul came to save Prasidh Krishnapic.twitter.com/a6la9HvZB5

— Farrago Abdullah Parody (@abdullah_0mar) August 1, 2025

See Also: ‘That was…’- Prasidh Krishna reveals shocking reason for heated argument with Joe Root during ENG vs IND 5th Test

Akash Deep, who was sent in as a night watchman, was not out on 4 at the end of play. England now have 247 in their first innings to India's 224. Prasidh Krishna and Mohammed Siraj chipped in to take four wickets each in the first innings, restricting England's lead to a slender 23 runs.

Sri Lanka’s veteran umpire, Kumar Dharmasena, didn’t start the last week of the five-match Test series between England and India at Kennington Oval in South London on a positive note after he made a major blunder during the first session of the contest. In many ways, it could have been painted as the ‘cheating’ word, as the former England pacer, Stuart Broad, was quick to pick that up in the commentary.

On the second ball of the 13th over, Josh Tongue’s searing in-swinging delivery nearly yorked the number three of the visitors, Sai Sudharsan, who fell on the floor in digging the ball. He lost his balance as the entire home side went for a huge appeal, to which Dharmasena shook his head, besides signaling an ‘inside edge’ with his finger.

See Also: Josh Tongue bowls poor wayward 9-ball opening over during ENG vs IND 5th Test

Broad reckoned that this gesture would not have satisfied him much had he been sitting on India’s dug-out. The replays showed that the delivery was a low full-toss from the Warwickshire pacer and got the batter in a tangle. It indeed brushed onto the bat as the umpire helped the home side by avoiding burning the review.

Kumar Dharmasena under fire after saving England's DRS during ENG vs IND 5th Test

Under DRS protocol, the umpires are not allowed to indicate such explanations to the bowling or batting side during the appeals, which can benefit a side. This website also raises questions on whether the umpire did the right thing by showing the gesture, because, looking at how the home side appealed, they could have easily gone for the review.

Change of venues didn’t help India’s captain, Shubman Gill, who lost his fifth toss of the series, stretching India’s record of 15 straight tosses in international cricket. They made several changes on the side, noteworthy of Jasprit Bumrah’s omission while getting Karun Nair back in the team at number five.

In the first half an hour, they lost Yashasvi Jaiswal. Once the runs were dried, KL Rahul looked to free his arms and got the ball dragged onto the stumps. Later, Gill and Sudharsan saw off the first session with 72/2 before the heavens opened to stop the game, seven minutes before the scheduled break.

As the sun sets on Virat Kohli's great Test career, the tributes keep rolling in from across the cricketing globe. Perhaps the most poignant came from someone who followed Kohli's career from a mere handful of yards away, not as a teammate or rival but as a neutral and respected presence in the thick of the action: umpire Kumar Dharmasena.

In a recent photo post on Instagram, the ex-Sri Lankan cricketer-turned-top-class umpire gave a glimpse of his collection, an Indian Test jersey signed and presented by Virat Kohli. The jersey, sporting the legendary number 18, has a plain yet powerful message: "To Kumar, with best wishes." Dharmasena’s caption was a mix of admiration and gratitude. “From fierce battles on the field to respectful nods at the crease,” he wrote, “it was always a pleasure to officiate your games, Virat.” He praised Kohli’s passion for the red-ball game, calling it “unmatched,” and wished him the best as he steps away from the longest and most demanding format.

A Moment Beyond the Match, Dharmasena’s Tribute to Kohli’s Timeless Test Legacy

What makes this post stand out most is its honesty. It's not a jersey post. It's a post about the journey, the unspoken friendship forged across hundreds of middle hours. Umpires are usually quiet guardians of the game, and for one such highly regarded among them to regard Kohli as highly as he did is a testament to the Indian great's legacy. "Your signed Test jersey is still one of the most treasured items in my possession," Dharmasena penned, "a reminder of a game legend."

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A post shared by Kumar Dharmasena (@kumardharmasenaofficial)

In a game where rivalries, records, and outcomes tend to hold primetime, this modest message was a reminder of something longer-lasting: respect. Respect between the player and the umpire. Between generations and players. Between the game and those who give their lives to it. As Kohli exits Test cricket, this action by Dharmasena is a silent tribute, unsaid but thoroughly comprehended.