The Decision Review System (DRS) decisions in the ongoing India-England five-match Test series has caused former England cricketer Michael Vaughan and Hawkeye creator Paul Hawkins to engage in a heated debate.
The controversy ignited when Vaughan, advocated for full transparency in DRS reviews, suggesting that cameras and microphones should be placed inside the DRS room to allow fans at home to witness how decisions are made. His remarks came in the aftermath of Joe Root’s contentious dismissal during the Ranchi Test.
“I’m not saying anyone is cheating,” Vaughan was quoted as saying on Test match Special Podcast.
“I’m trying to give an answer for when a decision is made and we all disagree with it. If the person on Hawk-Eye is filmed it puts the noise to bed.”
“Umpire’s call, personally I think we should just get rid of it. If it’s hitting the stumps, it’s hitting the stumps, then it’s a level playing field.
“I can understand supporters on both sides being frustrated with the decisions that have been made. It doesn’t look like Hawk-Eye is having a great series,” said Vaughan.
Hawkins swiftly countered Vaughan’s proposal, dismissing it as “uneducated” and urging Vaughan to exercise more diligence in his role as a cricket analyst. He emphasized the importance of factual accuracy in cricket journalism, likening it to the obligation of Hawk-Eye to provide precise analysis.
“The commentary, I think, is a little bit uneducated. It is unfortunate from Vaughan, because, obviously, a fantastic player, really enjoyed watching him play, and a great commentator, very entertaining. But I think it’s a responsibility to the game, in terms of journalism. Perhaps a little bit more preparation in terms of his role as a journalist may help him explain what’s happening to the huge fan base of cricket so that what he writes is factually correct. In the same way as Hawk-Eye has an obligation to be factually correct, perhaps journalists do too,” said Hawkins.
Unfazed by Hawkins’ criticism, Vaughan took to his official social media account X (formerly Twitter) to reaffirm his stance, reiterating his call for transparency in DRS operations. He emphasized the need to showcase all decisions made in the DRS truck to the fans at home, expressing his anticipation for DRS to be fully operational during the upcoming Test match in Dharamshala.
“It’s very simple .. Show all decisions being made from the trucks then please for full transparency .. show the fans at home exactly how your operation works.. that’s all I have asked for .. look forward to seeing it in full flow for the next Test in India,” said Vaughan.
The Root dismissal, labeled a “shocker for technology” by Vaughan in a now-deleted tweet, added fuel to the debate. Root contested the decision, believing that the ball had pitched outside leg stump.
“The Root dismissal was a shocker for the technology. Over half looked to have pitched outside leg stump but it came up red,” Vaughan wrote.
The fifth and last Test match of the England-India series is scheduled to kick off on March 7 at HPCA, Dharamshala.
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