Aussie cricket stars and fans have been left furious by an umpire’s call that prevented the side from taking a crucial wicket in the thrilling last day of the Boxing Day Test against India.
Mitchell Starc and his teammates were convinced he had trapped Yashasvi Jaiswal LBW, so skipper Pat Cummins chose to review it – with the graphic checking the ball’s trajectory showing it was on course to hit the Indian star’s stumps.
However, when the call was referred back to the umpire, he decided that not enough of the ball was hitting the woodwork to justify dismissing Jaiswal, leaving Cummins and his men up in arms – and Aussie cricket fans lashing out online.
The highly controversial call came after Cummins struck twice in an over to give Australia a fighting chance of pulling off a famous Boxing Day Test win.
Chasing a MCG record of 340, India crawled to lunch on day five at 3-33, effectively ruling them out of winning the fourth Test, but in with a big chance of salvaging a draw.
Jaiswal rubbed salt into Australia’s wounds by going on to score a fine half century as fans lashed out online.
Mitchell Starc couldn’t believe it when he thought he had Yashasvi Jaiswal out LBW, only to be denied despite the DRS appearing to show the Indian star was out
Pictured: Starc (left) and his teammates are left shocked when Jaiswal is allowed to remain at the crease during India’s tense run chase
Aussie cricket fans lashed out after the DRS graphic (pictured) appeared to show that the ball that struck Jaiswal on the pads would have gone on to hit the stumps
The rules state that at least half of the ball must appear to be hitting the stumps in the digital review for the dismissal to be given – and while that appeared to be the case on the graphic shown on the broadcast, the bails do not count as part of the wicket.
‘Absolutely atrocious. Farcical, and every other superlative. That’s a flawed system,’ one wrote.
‘Umpires call was introduced to protect the integrity of the decision of the umpire. That was clearly out and the decision should have been reversed. If not, the rules and interpretations need fixing,’ another added.
‘The system is designed to protect the nuffy umpires bad decisions,’ another commenter wrote.
Other fans voiced a conspiracy theory, writing that the decision was taken to avoid getting offside with the powerful Board for Control of Cricket in India (BCCI), with one writing ‘This call brought to you by @BCCI’ and others echoing that remark.
Channel Seven and Fox Sports’ commentators were shocked by the decision, with Aussie great Adam Gilchrist saying, ‘That is the ultimate tease. You can hear the noise, the disruption of the stumps, and yet it remains not out.’
Even Indian legend Ravi Shastri said, ‘You can see he’s not happy, Mitchell Starc, and he has good reason to be.’
With the five-Test series locked at 1-1, India only need to draw the series to retain the Border-Gavaskar trophy for a record-extending fifth-straight time.
India openers Jaiswal and Rohit Sharma carefully saw off the first 16 overs until Cummins produced six balls of magic.
The captain removed his opposing skipper, Rohit, with a ball that was juggled and caught by Mitch Marsh.
Five balls later, in-form No.3 KL Rahul fell victim to Cummins for a duck, boosting Australia’s hopes of going up 2-1 in the series.
Already in a commanding position, Mitchell Starc removed veteran superstar Virat Kohli (five), who once again was caught behind the wicket.
Tweets like this one were all over the social media platform X after the highly controversial decision prevented the hosts from taking a crucial wicket
Some fans aired a conspiracy theory that the wicket wasn’t given in order to avoid offending the powerful Board for Control of Cricket in India
Jaiswal is pictured saluting the crowd after rubbing salt into Australia’s wounds by recording a very timely half century on Monday
Starc, Cummins and Scott Boland all regularly bowled deliveries that beat the outside edge on a pitch that is playing more tricks than expected.
Australia added only a further six runs on Monday after they were bowled out for 234 in the second over of day five, giving them a lead of 339.
Nathan Lyon (41) and Scott Boland (15 not out), Australia’s No.10 and 11, made 61 in a crucial last-wicket stand that shot the lead past the 300 mark and frustrated India.
A bumper crowd of more than 50,000 is inside the MCG for what could be a defining day for this generation of Australian players.
A total of 350,700 fans has already attended this Boxing Day Test, breaking the all-time MCG record crowd of 350,534 in the 1936-37 Ashes series, when Sir Don Bradman was king.
The highest successful Test run chase at the ground was nearly a century ago, when England made 7-332 to beat Australia in 1928.
If India win, it will be their third-highest successful Test run chase.
It would even beat the 7-329 they posted to win the fourth Test at the Gabba in 2021 and claim the series.
Australia’s recovery from a shaky 6-91 late on Sunday – also helped by Cummins’ 41 – was the latest twist in an epic Test full of momentum swings.
India superstar Jasprit Bumrah finished with figures of 5-57, giving him nine wickets for the Test and taking him up to 30 for the series.
Australia batsman Marnus Labuschagne, who played in the 2021 loss, said that Brisbane wicket was far removed from the MCG pitch.
Just as Nitish Kumar Reddy and Washington Sundar turned India’s fortunes around on Saturday with their epic eighth-wicket stand, Reddy feels one good partnership on Monday will set up India for the win.
Starc noted the absorbing contest was the perfect counter to some commentary that Tests should be shortened to four days.
“This why we’ve got five days for a Test match and really stick it up those who want four days,” he told ABC Radio.
