Reports: BCCI removes ‘soft signal’ from IPL 2021

The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) has banned the ‘soft signal’ rule from the 2021 edition of the Indian Premier League (IPL), reports said. The rule, which the TV umpire takes into consideration before making a decision, has created controversy in recent times. During India’s five-match home T20I series against England, the rule created some ruckus.

In the fourth game in Ahmedabad, Suryakumar Yadav was given out after the third umpire didn’t find ‘conclusive evidence’ to go against the on-field umpire’s soft signal ‘Out’. Dawid Malan had taken the catch, which didn’t seem clean to the naked eye.

Soft signal creates confusion: sources

Going by reports on Saturday, March 27, the BCCI has made changes to Appendix D – Clause 2.2.2 of the playing conditions for the IPL. The clause states the rule regarding the soft signal.

Here’s how the BCCI has updated the ‘soft signal’ rule for IPL 2021: “Soft Signal: On-field Umpire giving Soft Signal while referring the decision to the 3rd Umpire will not be applicable.” Sources, privy to the development, told that the soft signal creates confusion.

“There have been cases wherein the soft signal has kind of created confusion rather than giving clarity to the third umpire and that is why it was felt that going back to the old method of referring decisions to the third umpire if the on-field umpires are not sure should be followed,” the source stated, reported by Sportskeeda.

In another development, the third umpire will be able to overturn the ‘short run’ call made by the on-field umpire. In the 2020 IPL, there was a controversy during the match between Delhi Capitals and the Punjab Kings, then Kings XI Punjab. The on-field umpire seemed to have made an error that cost Punjab the game.

In the upcoming edition, the third umpire would be able to change the on-field call. Here’s what the rule states: “Short-run: In the case of the short run, the third umpire checks the short run and can overturn the decision made by the on-field umpires.”

The IPL is scheduled to get underway on April 9 with the match between Mumbai Indians (MI) and Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB) in Chennai.

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