The fourth Test match of the Border-Gavaskar Trophy series has unfolded with considerable drama, characterized by the dynamics of the game, the manner in which wickets fell, the celebrations that ensued, and the implications for qualification for the World Test Championship final. Regardless of the match's outcome in Melbourne, discussions surrounding the dismissal of Yashasvi Jaiswal are likely to persist for an extended period.

On Monday, the young cricketer played a pivotal role in India's pursuit of a daunting target of 340 runs during the final innings. After achieving consecutive half-centuries in the Test and forming a potentially match-altering partnership with Rishabh Pant in the closing stages, Jaiswal appeared poised to secure a well-earned century, which would have marked his second in the series following his impressive 161 in Perth the previous month.

However, Jaiswal's innings concluded in a contentious manner during the final hour of Day 5 at the Melbourne Cricket Ground, leaving him visibly frustrated as he engaged in a dispute with the on-field umpires.

The incident occurred on the second-to-last delivery of the 71st over when Pat Cummins bowled a shorter delivery down the leg side. The field was strategically positioned for this delivery, and Jaiswal, falling for the trap, attempted a pull shot but instead edged the ball to wicketkeeper Alex Carey, who made a diving catch just above the ground.

The Australian team erupted in celebration, having dismissed the last specialist Indian batsman, bringing them closer to victory in Melbourne. However, on-field umpire Joel Wilson initially ruled it not out. Cummins promptly requested a review.

Third umpire Sharfuddoula Ibne Shahid Saikat examined the replay from various angles and was convinced there had been a deflection. Nevertheless, the snickometer did not register any spike. In such situations, most umpires typically defer to technology and uphold the not-out decision, but Saikat opted to prioritize the visual evidence and overturned the ruling.

Jaiswal expressed his discontent with the decision after Wilson changed his call to out. He approached the umpires in a heated manner, engaging in a discussion before he was...

What was the reason for the absence of a spike on the snicko?

Following the contentious dismissal, Warren Brennan, whose company BBG Sports operates Snicko, provided an explanation for the absence of a spike despite a noticeable sign of deflection.

“That was one of the glance-shots where there isn’t any noise, so Snicko shows nothing but ambient noise,” Brennan stated to Code Sports. “I consulted with the audio director, and he confirmed that there was no noise either. Only Hot Spot could have clarified that situation.”

Former Test umpire Simon Taufel also supported the third umpire Saikat's decision regarding Jaiswal's dismissal.

“In my opinion, the decision was out. The third umpire ultimately made the correct call,” he remarked to Channel 7.

“With the established technology protocols, we have a hierarchy of redundancy, and when the umpire observes a clear deflection off the bat, there is no necessity to pursue any additional technology to substantiate the case. The clear deflection serves as conclusive evidence.

“In this specific instance, what we have seen from the third umpire is that they utilized a secondary form of technology, which, for reasons unknown, did not provide the same conclusive audio evidence to support the clear deflection. Ultimately, the third umpire acted appropriately by reverting to the clear deflection and overturning the on-field umpire's decision. Therefore, I believe a correct decision was made.”

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