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Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) went up against Gujarat Titans (GT) in what was sure to be an exciting IPL 2026 at the Narendra Modi Stadium, Ahmedabad on 30 April. This game started to sizzle when wickets had fallen early on and a decision to dismiss Rajat Patidar resulted in chaos on the part of Virat Kohli.

While RCB looked in good touch with Kohli smashing boundaries, the game swung away from them once they lost quick wickets. The game is famous for the most-debated decision of all time when Patidar’s catch by Holder was given out by the match officials even after ball touched the ground. This infuriated the RCB camp and the officials got into a heated discussion.

The moment occurred on the fourth ball of the eighth over, as Patidar tried to pull a short ball from Arshad Khan. It went high towards the deep fielders and was caught low. Although given out by the on field umpires, the response from the RCB players was that he didn't seem to have full control of the ball.

Kohli was involved in a spirited debate with the umpire, visibly angry at the decision. This was soon the talking point of the series rather than the match as a whole.

Also Read | OUT or NOT OUT? Rajat Patidar Dismissal in GT vs RCB Sparks Massive Controversy - Here’s What the Law Says

As per the BCCI's Code of Conduct (especially Article 2.8), cricketers are prohibited from protesting or arguing harshly with an umpire's decision on the field. This is deemed either a Level 1 offense or a higher degree of offense, depending on the severity.

Penalties that may be levied are:

• Deductions from the match fee
• Demerit points awarded
• Bans from future matches if severe or recurring offenders

Level 1 offenses are generally characterized by fines not exceeding 50% of match fees and the awarding of demerit points. The levels that are higher than this may be punished by bans of one or more matches.

In an earlier IPL 2026 match, Nitish Rana was fined 25% of his match fees and given one demerit point for a similar incident, this time it was for arguing with the fourth umpire.

The match officials are expected to determine if Kohli's actions are grounds for a penalty or if it was a typical exchange during a game where there was a lot of pressure.

Ultimately,RCB lost the initiative after a strong start to their innings and the dispute only added to what was already an emotional contest.