We need an alternative, ball tracking technology isn't that ready: Harsha Bhogle

Amid a heated debate over the contentious Umpire's Call in cricket, renowned cricket commentator Harsha Bhogle has weighed in on the matter. On February 19, Bhogle emphasised the need for an alternative, pointing out that the ball-tracking technology currently in use is not quite up to the mark.

In a post on social media, Bhogle has joined the debate on whether Umpire's Call should be eliminated, emphasising the necessity of an alternative due to the limitations of current ball tracking technology. 

"A lot of influential people are asking for Umpire's Call to be done away with. But we need an alternative. Some part of the ball hitting any part of the stump isn't good enough, isn't an option yet because ball tracking technology isn't that ready yet. Eager to hear thoughts that will produce better outcomes," Harsha posted on 'X'.

This discussion gained momentum after England Test captain Ben Stokes called for the scrapping of the Umpire's Call within the Decision Review System (DRS). Stokes' remarks followed an incident where Zak Crawley was given out LBW on Umpire's Call, sparking confusion as the team believed the ball was not hitting the stumps based on the DRS replay.

Following India's dominant victory over England in the third Test in Rajkot, both Stokes and England coach Brendon McCullum engaged in discussions with Crowe. 

"He (match referee Jeff Crowe) was giving us some information around how it was judged to be given out when the ball was not hitting the stumps on the DRS replay. The ball did not hit the stumps on the replay," Stokes said, shedding light on his conversation with match referee Jeff Crowe, as quoted by Cricbuzz.

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"Apparently, it was that the numbers said it was hitting the stumps but the image was wrong, I don't really understand what has gone on there. I think when people are in charge of it say something has gone wrong that is enough in itself," Stokes added.

My personal opinion is if the ball is hitting the stumps, it is hitting the stumps: Stokes

Stokes also delved into the perspective of Umpire's Call, expressing a straightforward opinion that if the ball makes contact with the stumps, it should be considered as such. He advocated for doing away with the Umpire's Call, emphasising transparency in decision-making.

"It is not something you pin down as a result of the game. So many factors in to. Sometimes when you are on the wrong end of those decisions it hurts but that is part of the game. You want them to go your way, sometimes they do, sometimes they don't."

"You just want a level playing field. The umpires have an incredibly hard job as it is, especially in India when the ball is spinning. My personal opinion is if the ball is hitting the stumps, it is hitting the stumps. They should take away the umpire's call if I'm being perfectly honest. I don't want to get too much into it because it sounds like we are moaning and saying that is why we lost the Test match," he added.

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The controversy surrounding Umpire's Call prompted Paul Hawkins, the creator of Hawk-Eye's ball-tracking technology, to defend the system vigorously. Hawkins asserted the accuracy of the technology and said that there isn't even a one per cent chance of it being wrong.

As the cricketing world grapples with these debates, the call for change grows louder. The discussions surrounding Umpire's Call highlight the importance of finding a viable alternative that ensures fairness and accuracy in decision-making on the cricket field. The cricketing fraternity awaits a resolution that balances the intricacies of technology with the spirit of the game.