In recent years, there has been a noticeable global expansion of international cricket, primarily fuelled by the widespread popularity of the T20 match format.
This has not only led to increased interest in cricket worldwide but has also heightened the level of competition in the sport.
However, it’s regrettable that specific negative influences from the participating teams have impacted the game.
It’s an open secret that India wields significant influence in the world of cricket, primarily due to its substantial investment in the global cricket market.
This has effectively positioned India as a leading force in cricket, making it challenging for the ICC to counterbalance its authority.
Given this context, appropriate regulations must be enforced to uphold the integrity of the game. One crucial regulation introduced is the Decision Review System (DRS).
India initially opposed implementing this system, sparking considerable debate and deliberation within the cricketing community.
Earlier, India refused to use this
Initially, India was reluctant to use the Decision Review System (DRS) in the matches it participated in. However, with time, India had to resort to using this system.
The DRS system has become crucial in changing the outcomes of cricket matches. In the past, the umpires’ decisions have sometimes been unfair to the match’s final result. Nowadays, their mistakes are transparent due to DRS.
However, there are doubts about the accuracy of this decision review system. Controversial DRS decisions in cricket matches have raised concerns about its reliability.
This situation seems to mainly occur in matches involving India. This issue was also debated during the recent One Day Cricket Tournament held in India, with allegations that certain DRS decisions favoured India.
If this is indeed happening, it’s a significant concern. When the use of technology for fair decision-making in sports is questioned, it is crucial to address it.
The first step is to investigate if this is due to a technical error. The second step is determining whether its operators deliberately manipulate the technology to favour a particular team.
It is essential to identify any shortcomings in the technology and rectify them. If deliberate manipulation is found, severe punishment should be imposed on those responsible.
Ultra edge and ball tracking
The Decision Review System (DRS) incorporates advanced technologies such as the Ultraedge method and ball tracking to enhance the accuracy of umpiring decisions in cricket matches.
The Ultraedge method precisely determines whether the ball has made contact with the bat, particularly in cases of challenging catches.
Additionally, the ball tracking method and Ultraedge technology are crucial in determining LBW (leg before wicket) decisions, contributing to fair and informed judgements on the field.
Thanks to the implementation of this system, a significant reduction in erroneous decisions has been observed, benefitting both batters and bowlers.
This enhanced accuracy level has positively impacted cricket’s integrity, ensuring a fairer and more engaging experience for players and fans alike.
India vs Sri Lanka second ODI 2024
During the second one-day match between Sri Lanka and India at R Premadasa Stadium, an incident broke trust in the DRS. India, batting second, was chasing a target of 240 runs set by Sri Lanka.
When India was at 110 runs with just one wicket lost, Virat Kohli was at the crease facing Akila Dananjaya’s bowling. After the Sri Lankan players made a strong LBW appeal against Kohli, the on-field umpire initially ruled him out.
Kohli then called for a review, and the third umpire, after checking for Ultra Edge evidence, discovered a slight delay in the receipt of footage.
Surprisingly, this footage showed that the ball had touched Kohli’s bat, which led to the decision to not out. It was noticed that the spikes in the Ultra edge image frames became visible as the ball approached the bat, contrary to the usual occurrence of spikes as the ball passes the bat.
This decision was questioned by many
It seems that the audience has formed the opinion that this event is suspicious, and understandably so, given the seriousness of the situation.
The delay in providing ultraedge images to the third umpire has further fuelled the speculation, contributing to the development of a conspiracy theory.
The details regarding what happened with the ultraedge technology are known only to the TV technology department, which raises several important questions.
Firstly, was this simply a technical mistake? Secondly, is it possible that the ultra-edge images were edited to favour India?Is editing the ultra-edge images technically feasible? If so, how long would it take?
What is ultra-edge technology?
Ultra edge is a highly sophisticated technology designed for precise edge detection in cricket.
It represents an advancement of the Snickometer and was initially conceptualised by British computer scientist Allan Plaskett.
It debuted in 1999 on the UK’s Channel. The International Cricket Council (ICC) has officially approved this cutting-edge technology, following rigorous tests and verifications conducted by the prestigious Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) engineers.
This state-of-the-art system relies on microphones strategically positioned inside the stumps and various cameras strategically installed on the pitch and surrounding areas.
When a ball makes contact with the bat, it generates a distinctive sound captured by the wicket microphones and then displayed on the tracking screen.
The stump microphone differentiates between the sounds produced by the bat and the pads. As the ball approaches the bat, cameras at opposite ends of the field meticulously track the ball’s trajectory.
Simultaneously, the microphone transmits the sound of the ball striking the bat to an oscilloscope, which visually represents the sound energy in waves.
This visual representation aids in discerning whether the bat made contact with the ball, ultimately influencing the decision on whether the batter is out or not.
Can there be glitches in this?
Every technology is susceptible to glitches, and this ball-tracking system is no exception.
The first potential issue arises when a spike is detected in the sound wave lengths before the ball touches the bat. This can occur due to external sounds picked up by the microphone when the ball is being bowled.
The second possible glitch occurs when the bat hits the ground and the ball simultaneously. This simultaneous impact can confuse the detected sound signals.
The third potential problem occurs when the ball comes into contact with both the body and the bat while in close proximity. This simultaneous contact can cause a distortion in the detected sound signals.
Can the obtained images be changed later?
The capability to answer this question is exclusive to the developers of this technology. However, it’s a fact that technology can effectively facilitate change in such scenarios.
If that’s the case, steps should be taken to prevent these occurrences. One potential measure could involve leveraging 3D technology to clearly illustrate whether the ball makes contact with the bat.
Another approach would be to compare simulated ball tracking and real-time ball passing images juxtaposed with the ultra-edge image frame.
An accurate determination can be made by observing whether the ball released by the bowler crosses the ball tracking line.
This method is straightforward, involving overlay and replication of the two images. Television technology was initially introduced to cricket to minimise umpiring errors and has played a significant role.
Nonetheless, should the technology itself generate inaccuracies in this context, these issues must be addressed and rectified.
