Steve Smith opted for the review despite the ball lobbing up from his gloves.
The Australian batsmen came out on Day 4 of the fourth Test against India thinking of setting up a mammoth total on the board for the visitors to chase down in the final innings. While Steve Smith came out to bat with his recently-found form, recorded his third 50-plus score in the last two Tests.
While batting on 55 runs off 73 balls, he was surprised with a bouncer from Mohammed Siraj that shot off the pitch around the fourth-stump line.
Smith rode the bounce but the ball still managed to get higher than the blade. The ball took his gloves and lobbed up to Indian skipper Ajinkya Rahane in the slips.
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However, to the surprise of many, he asked for a review of the umpire. While many are still in a confusion about why he went upstairs despite the ball clearly hitting his right thumb, here is the explanation to it.
Law 5.6 - Contact with the ball suggests:
"In these Laws,
5.6.1 reference to the bat shall imply that the bat is held in the batsman’s hand or a glove worn on his/her hand, unless stated otherwise.
5.6.2 contact between the ball and any of 5.6.2.1 to 5.6.2.4
5.6.2.1 the bat itself
5.6.2.2 the batsman’s hand holding the bat
5.6.2.3 any part of a glove worn on the batsman’s hand holding the bat
shall be regarded as the ball striking or touching the bat or being struck by the bat."
Hence, Smith thought that he had taken his right hand off the bat when the ball hit him, and hence, he could have been adjudged not out. However, because the glove was still in contact with the bat when the ball hit his glove, he was given out.