ICC to end soft signals (Photo: AFP)
New Delhi: Cricket is a gentleman’s game, which has its own rules and regulations. These rules are approved by the ICC. But, sometimes when some rules become a headache for the teams and voices are raised about it. Seeing the same voices of protest, the ICC has to abolish its own rules. Soft signal is one such rule, which has puzzled many cricketers of the world including Team India.
According to Cricbuzz, the ICC, the high command of cricket, is going to end the rule of soft signal. It will also be implemented from the final of the World Test Championship. India and Australia, both the teams that will compete in the WTC Final, have been informed about this.
Read here: Why is Marnus Labushen not in WTC Final, tension for Team India?
Soft signal will not be visible from WTC Final
The final of the World Test Championship is to be played from June 7 to June 11. From this match, the soft signal rule will not be seen in cricket. It is believed that the approval to abolish the soft signal has been given by ICC Cricket Committee Chairman Sourav Ganguly.
Please tell that ICC had to take the decision to end the soft signal because many cricketers had raised questions about it. Team India has been a victim of this rule. The first soft signal controversy involving the Indian team came to the fore when Suryakumar Yadav became its victim in the fourth match of the India-England T20 series in the year 2021.
When Suryakumar Yadav got stuck in soft signal
During India’s batting, Suryakumar Yadav was playing for 57 runs. Then he played a scoop shot off Sam Karan which was caught by David Malan. There was a question about whether the catch was clean or not. Still the on-field umpire gave Suryakumar Yadav out.
But, when the third umpire checked the replay of that catch, no concrete evidence was found for that catch. But, since the on-field umpire had given out to Suryakumar, the third umpire’s decision also did not change.
What is soft signal?
First of all, know what is a soft signal? This is actually a rule related to close catch. Means when the on-field umpire is not sure about the catch, then he asks the third umpire to check. However, before this the on-field umpire has to give his decision. The decision which he gives after talking to his colleague umpire is called soft signal.
In this rule, the decision of the on-field umpire changes only when there is a strong evidence. Under the soft signal rule, the decision taken by the on-field umpire is mostly the same decision of the third umpire. This is the reason why there is ruckus regarding this rule.
Questions raised from Virat Kohli to Ben Stokes
Virat Kohli had also expressed his displeasure towards this rule. At the same time, England’s Test captain Ben Stokes has also raised questions about this. He gave his reaction to the catch of Marnus Labushen during the Test series between Australia and South Africa and said that get rid of the soft signal.
ICC should get rid off the soft signal and let the 3rd umpire who has all the technology to make the decision when the on field umpires send it upstairs, all the controversy is always around the soft signal given. This isn’t a comment on the decision FYI 🤣🤣 https://t.co/rvOeJEfnKF
— Ben Stokes (@benstokes38) January 4, 2023
Cricbuzz also told in its report that in the final of the World Test Championship, if the natural light of the ground is not correct, then in that case the floodlight can be turned on.
Also Read: Why Ishan Kishan Was Selected For WTC Final?