The ongoing India vs England Test series was once again marred by controversy, as England’s Joe Root fell victim to a contentious lbw dismissal on Day 3 of the fourth Test in Ranchi. Root, batting in England’s second innings, was struck on the pad in the 17th over but initially given not out by the on-field umpire.
India opted for a review, and the ball-tracking indicated that the ball was pitching in line and hitting the stumps, resulting in Root’s dismissal for 11 runs off 34 balls. However, images of the ball-tracking raised eyebrows as they revealed that more than half of the ball was pitching outside the leg stump, which could have saved Root.
Former England captain Michael Vaughan expressed his discontent with the decision, labeling it a “shocker for the technology.” He pointed out that over half of the ball was pitching outside the leg stump and criticized the Hawkeye technology for its performance throughout the series. However, Vaughan later deleted his post.
Vaughan posted: “The Root dismissal was a shocker for the technology. Over half looked to have pitched outside leg stump but it came up red !!!!!! Hawkeye is having a average series .. And it’s done for England’s best player Root”
In another social media post, Vaughan accused the broadcaster of not showing enough replays of Root’s dismissal, considering it was a crucial moment in England’s innings. He also shared the pitching rules of Hawkeye on his account. England cricketer Sam Billings also criticized the Decision Review System (DRS) technology for its errors in the series.
This incident is not the first time that Hawk-Eye technology has faced scrutiny in the ongoing series. England opener Zak Crawley was controversially given out in the second innings of both the second and third Tests. In the second Test, he was adjudged out after being struck on the pad by Kuldeep Yadav, despite the on-field decision being not out. Similarly, in the third Test, he was initially given out by the on-field umpire for a delivery from Jasprit Bumrah, but the review suggested that the ball may have missed the stumps, leading to confusion in the England camp.
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