January 1, 2025: Alex Carey, Australia’s wicketkeeper-batter, has backed the decision made by the third umpire regarding Yashasvi Jaiswal’s controversial dismissal on Day 5 of the Melbourne Test during the ongoing Border-Gavaskar Trophy (BGT). Carey’s comments came after the decision left the cricketing world divided, with many questioning the evidence that led to Jaiswal’s dismissal.
Australia secured a commanding 184-run victory over India in the Melbourne Test, taking a 2-1 lead in the series and also effectively ending India’s chances of qualifying for the World Test Championship (WTC) Final. However, the dismissal of Jaiswal, which occurred on the final day of the Test, became a hot topic of discussion.
The incident took place in the 71st over, when Yashasvi Jaiswal was batting on 84 runs. He attempted to pull a delivery from Pat Cummins, and Australia appealed for a catch behind. The on-field umpire initially turned down the appeal, but Cummins decided to take the matter upstairs to the third umpire.
Upon reviewing the replays, the ball appeared to deflect off Jaiswal’s gloves on its way to Alex Carey, the wicketkeeper. However, the snickometer, which is commonly used to detect faint edges, did not show any spike. Despite this, the third umpire, Sharfuddoula, felt that the visual evidence—the apparent deflection—was sufficient to rule Jaiswal out, and he asked the on-field umpire to overturn the original decision.
Speaking to the media before the Sydney Test, Carey expressed confidence in the third umpire’s decision, saying, “Yeah, I had no doubt. And I think the evidence was really clear that the third umpire made the correct decision.” Carey acknowledged the controversy surrounding the snickometer, explaining that the technology had been a bit “funny” during the ongoing BGT series. He also pointed out that with all the available evidence, the third umpire had enough information to make an informed call.
“Snicko’s been a little bit funny in this series. So, with all the evidence that you get, put it all together and come up with the correct decision. I think the third umpire did a really good job,” Carey said.
The incident has been a talking point because of the perceived inconsistency in the snickometer readings, especially when the ball appeared to clearly deflect off Jaiswal’s gloves. Some fans and analysts questioned whether the visual evidence alone was enough to dismiss Jaiswal, given the lack of a clear confirmation from the snickometer.
Before his controversial dismissal, Jaiswal had played a resilient knock, scoring 84 runs off 208 balls with a strike rate of 40.38. He had displayed excellent defense and patience, hitting eight fours in his innings. Jaiswal’s knock was one of the highlights of India’s effort to chase down a challenging 340-run target set by Australia.
In the end, Australia went on to win the Melbourne Test by 184 runs, and India was bowled out for 155 in their second innings. The Australian bowlers, led by Pat Cummins, produced a fiery performance, and Cummins was subsequently named Player of the Match for his all-round contribution with both bat and ball.
As the Border-Gavaskar Trophy heads into its final match at the Sydney Cricket Ground from January 3, the series is finely poised, with Australia leading 2-1. The last Test promises to be a thrilling encounter, as both teams aim to finish the series on a high note.
Australia’s victory at Melbourne was a huge step towards winning the series, but the controversy over Jaiswal’s dismissal highlights the ongoing challenges of modern-day technology in cricket. While Carey backed the third umpire’s call, the incident sparked further debates over the consistency and reliability of the technology used to make crucial decisions during matches. Regardless, both teams will now turn their attention to the final Test in Sydney, where the series is set to reach its climax.
