Ricky Ponting lambasts Aleem Dar for his controversial DRS call on Mitchell Santner in the Boxing Day Test

Ongoing Australia vs New Zealand Boxing Day Test at the Melbourne Cricket Ground may have turned out to be a damp-squib with regards to competitiveness with the Kiwis failing to turn up with the bat, but the iconic Test has not been short of controversy.

Australia’s nightmarish luck with the Decision Review System extended to the third day, one that only left the 11 cricketers on the field befuddled but also former cricketers like Ricky Ponting and Shane Warne. Australia had challenged Marais Erasmus’ on-field call where he had adjudged off-spinner Mitchell Santer not-out after a steepling bumper from Mitchell Starc proceeded to hit the sweat strap of Santner’s gloves and lob straight into Travis Head’s hands at leg-gully – something which is regarded as a part of the bat, according to the laws.

Australian captain Tim Paine, after having a conversation with close-in fielders- Marnus Labuschagne and Travis Head, went to the third umpire Aleem Dar. The replay clearly showed that a ball hit the sweatband of Santner’s right gloves. However, Aleem Dar couldn’t fathom any conclusive evidence and stayed with the on-field, much to the shock of not only Tim Paine and his teammates but also former captain Ricky Ponting.

Ricky Ponting not impressed with Aleem Dar and DRS

Ricky Ponting, while commentating for Channel 7 lambasted Dar’s decision where he said, “That has been missed by the third umpire, absolutely as plain as day. If you can’t get that right, then you shouldn’t be doing it. (The sweatband) clearly moves before it goes into the forearm guard. That, in my opinion, is conclusive evidence.”

Ponting added, “Looking at the right things there, that’s a very, very obvious decision to make. That, in my opinion, is conclusive evidence to overturn the on-field decision.”

Shane Warne, on Fox Cricket, also concurred with Ricky Ponting, as did Waugh, who said: “That is a very poor decision by the third umpire. You can clearly see the band on the top of the glove moving after the ball brushed it. That type of decision is exactly why DRS is used in the game.”

That decision, however, did not have any bearing on the game as the Kiwis were skittled out for 148 in their first innings and now face a prospect of facing a total in excess of 500 in the fourth innings.