As safety in cricket continues to evolve, the umpires are proving beneficiaries too with elbow guards and helmets for officials becoming increasingly ubiquitous. However, none of it could have saved Rohan Pandit in Ahmedabad on Friday from a painful blow to the knee off Sanju Samson’s bat.
India feasted on a flat Narendra Modi deck in the fifth T20I against South Africa to put the visitors to the sword with some brutal power hitting and boundaries racing through the lightning fast outfield. Sanju Samson and Abhishek Sharma set the foundation for the fireworks, combining for 67 runs within the powerplay with the former going on to score a rapid 22-ball 37 laced with four fours and a couple of maximums. However, the Proteas bowlers were not the only victims of his unfettered strokeplay.
On the fourth ball of the ninth over, George Linde trundled in from around the stumps and bowled very full around the fifth stump line to cramp the opener for time. However, Samson was waiting for it as he created room early, stood tall, and with a furious swing of the bat hit through the line to send the Kookaburra flying back across the deck. Linde recognized an opportunity for a catch and instinctively brought his hands up but the Kookaburra was already past them as they smashed into his thigh, deflecting off it to hit umpire Rohan Pandit square on his right knee. Officiating just his 12th T20I, Pandit fervently flailed his leg to shake off the pain even as he put on a brave face to keep track of the action but as soon as the batsmen completed the single, he collapsed to the floor wincing in pain. Physios from both the teams rushed out to massage some ice on the bruise, not without a slight smirk on their faces, as giggles emanated from various pockets of the gtround. Commentator Dale Steyn was quick to tag Pandit LBW, with colleague Sunil Gavaskar clarifying he was leg behind wicket and not leg before.
Twitterati, likewise, had a field day with it.
Ouch!
Hurt!
That one must have hurt. 🩹@IamSanjuSamson times this one sweetly and the ball rockets off the bowlers hand and umpire Rohan Pandit cops a nasty blow to his shin. 🫣😵💫#INDvSA 5th T20I | LIVE NOW 👉 https://t.co/adG06ykx8o pic.twitter.com/T4XdtqK9jA
— Star Sports (@StarSportsIndia) December 19, 2025
Harshit Rana is giving Moral support to the Umpire 😭 #HarshitRana #INDvSA pic.twitter.com/ruKjiJojSS
— Shubh (@Not_an_Eng1neer) December 19, 2025
Umpire got injured!
Sanju Samson ಬಾರಿಸಿದ ಹೊಡೆತಕ್ಕೆ Umpire ಫೆಲ್ ಡೌನ್!👀
📺 ವೀಕ್ಷಿಸಿ | #INDvSA 👉 5th T20I | LIVE NOW | ನಿಮ್ಮ Star Sports ಕನ್ನಡ & JioHotstar ನಲ್ಲಿ.#TeamIndia pic.twitter.com/lDjr7gtuhD
— Star Sports Kannada (@StarSportsKan) December 19, 2025
Haha!
If someone asked you how was the innings of Sanju Samson, What about intent
Ask this umpire… pic.twitter.com/cHmn7ZbaXg
— Seven-11 (@SG_SSamson) December 19, 2025
Sanju Samson 🤝 Hardik Pandya
Sanju hit the umpire, Hardik hit the cameraman… are we playing cricket or an action movie in Ahmedabad? 🎬💥
If you’re standing anywhere near the boundary today, just run for your life! #INDvSA #TeamIndia
#HardikPandya
#Ahmedabad #CricketTwitte pic.twitter.com/nWQyvSQAK2
— AMAN SINGH (@DrivenOnField) December 19, 2025
Yeah!
Sanju Samson’s shot hit the umpire hard. And then what… it almost felt like the umpire silently cursed him, as Sanju was out shortly after..🤔
— Banrakas (@RitikSriva75) December 19, 2025
oops!
7:45 PM – Umpire got hit by ball
8:15 PM – Cameraman got hit by ball.#INDvSA Sanju Samson
Abhishek sharma pic.twitter.com/ovPe8UGKIp
— Zohra Fatima (@Z0hra_Fatma) December 19, 2025
That one hurt 🩹
Sanju Samson middles it sweetly, the ball rockets back and clips umpire Rohan Pandit on the shin. 🫣#INDvSA #SanjuSamson #INDvsSApic.twitter.com/mLSr2qy0SS
— Arshy (@imArshit) December 19, 2025
