ICC To Abolish Soft Signal Rule In International Matches, Beginning With The World Test Championship Final Between India And Australia

Updated - 15 May 2023, 02:28 PM

Stuart Broad
Image Credits: Twitter

Table of Contents

The International Cricket Committee (ICC) reportedly decided to scrap the soft-signal rule from the game in international matches. It will be implemented in the international cricket tournament starting with the World Test Championship (WTC) final, which will be played between India and Australia in London starting on June 7.

Earlier, the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) abolished the soft signal rule in the Indian Premier League (IPL) in 2021 after former Indian skipper Virat Kohli’s plea to remove it. The on-field umpire used to provide his initial on-field decision to the third umpire before going for the check of the dismissal.

IPL 2023 | Dream11 Prediction | Fantasy Cricket Tips | Cricket Match Prediction Today | Cricket News | Cricket Live Score

According to a report by Cricbuzz, the ICC’s cricket committee, led by Sourav Ganguly, has approved the change. The ICC informed the two WTC finalists, India and Australia, about the particular change in the playing conditions. The flood lights can be turned on during the game if there is insufficient natural light.

Also read: IPL 2023: MS Dhoni Is Inspiring, You Want To Play Well For Him – Kevin Pietersen Lauds CSK Skipper’s Impact On His Team

The soft signal rule has been under heavy scrutiny due to its impact in recent matches. England Test captain Ben Stokes expressed disappointment with the soft signal after a controversial decision by Marnus Labuschagne during an Australia-South Africa Test earlier this year.

“ICC should get rid of the soft signal and let the 3rd umpire who has all the technology 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 (sic),” Ben Stokes said.

IPL 2023 | India National Cricket Team | Chennai Super Kings (CSK) | Delhi Capitals (DC) | Gujarat Titans (GT) | Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) | Lucknow Supergiants (LSG) | Mumbai Indians (MI) | Punjab Kings (PBKS) | Rajasthan Royals (RR) | Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB) | SunRisers Hyderabad (SRH)

Meanwhile, the England cricket team benefited from the soft signal during the Test match in Pakistan. Saud Shakeel was given out by the on-field umpire, and the third umpire decided not to overturn the decision with inconclusive evidence. Shakeel’s dismissal triggered their collapse, and they eventually lost the match by 26 runs.

“The Shakeel dismissal cost us. It looked to us as if the ball had touched the ground. As a professional, you have to respect the umpire’s decision, but we felt the ball had been grounded,” Pakistan skipper Babar Azam said following the match.

Also read: IPL 2023: “Rinku Singh Is One Name That Will Come Across As One…” – Abhishek Nayar Hails KKR Finisher For His Consistency

According to ICC rules, a “Soft Signal is the visual communication by the bowler’s end umpire to the third umpire (accompanied by additional information via two-way radio where necessary) of his/her initial on-field decision prior to initiating an Umpire Review.”

Also read: Ashes 2023: Injury Scare For England, Star Pacer James Anderson Is In Doubt For Their First Test Of The Summer – ECB Reports

Virat Kohli | Rohit Sharma | Rishabh Pant | KL Rahul | Suryakumar Yadav | Sanju Samson | Shreyas Iyer | Yuzvendra Chahal | Jasprit Bumrah

Tagged:

Indian Premier League (IPL) International Cricket Council (ICC) Sourav Ganguly