India found themselves in trouble during the final session on Day 5, losing wickets in quick succession just after Tea. The only bright spot was that Yashasvi Jaiswal was still at the crease and looking in good form.
However, a moment of madness from the Indian opener sparked controversy, not just for India, but also for the technology supporting the umpires in the game.
On the fifth ball of the 71st over, Pat Cummins once again dropped the ball short, tempting Jaiswal to attempt a pull shot. The Indian opener fell into the trap, but instead of making solid contact, the ball flew straight into the hands of Alex Carey behind the stumps.
The on-field umpire, however, did not raise his finger. Cummins, convinced it was worth reviewing, called for a TV umpire check. This is where the controversy began. Despite no spike on Real Time Snicko (RTS), video footage clearly showed a deviation off the bat. The third umpire opted to trust the video evidence over RTS and gave Jaiswal out.
Warren Brennan, whose company BBG Sports operates Snicko, explained the situation, saying, “That was one of those glance shots where there isn’t any noise, so Snicko shows nothing but ambient noise. I checked with the audio director, and he confirmed there was no noise either. Probably only Hot Spot could have resolved that one,” as reported by Code Cricket.
Bumrah you've one job to do in next match 🤲🏻pic.twitter.com/bTNjTvHiA3
— Anish (@sovereignkohli) December 30, 2024
The Jaiswal dismissal. The crowd is not having it. Been chanting non stop for 10 mins now #BGT #BoxingDayTest pic.twitter.com/3WsqHipNbI
— Gaurav Kapur (@gauravkapur) December 30, 2024
The decision sparked frustration on social media and among the MCG crowd, with many quick to shout “Cheater” in reaction to the controversial call.