Shubman Gill’s dismissal was the biggest talking point from the fourth day’s play in ongoing WTC final.
Gill was given out in a controversial manner at the stroke of Tea. Australian pacer Scott Boland bowled a good length delivery outside off and Gill came forward to defend it but the ball bounced a touch extra to take the bat shoulder.
Cameron Green, who was stationed at gully, showed sharp reflexes as he leaped to his left to hold onto an inconclusive catch.
The on-field umpires went upstairs to check for a clean catch. After watching the reply from multiple angles, third umpire Richard Kettleborough felt that Green’s fingers were underneath the ball and declared Gill out.
Amid the outrage, former coaches of the Indian and Australian cricket teams – Ravi Shastri and Justin Langer – backed the TV umpire's decision.
"What I saw, there was a third umpire, it is very difficult to say that the ball hit the ground. You see the two fingers underneath. But if you see actually angle, if the camera is at ground angle, you can actually see if the fingers are touching the ground or if the ball is touching the grass. I always believe if it comes up with two fingers, two fingers go down, chances of ball touching the ground are much more as supposed to three fingers," Shastri told the broadcaster after the close of play on Day 4.
"What I can see of Cameron Green, there are two fingers. It's a tough one, you go down the umpire's rule. He has to be convinced that the ball has touched the ground. Two fingers he came up with there, two fingers when they freeze on that, I feel a lot of times, it touches the ground."
Langer echoed with Shastri's viewpoint while also adding that Green is still new to Test cricket and will become a victim of social media debate after this episode.
"Ravi is exactly right. Richard Kettleborough is a world class umpire and what he goes on, he had to probably give it out. Other thing that I always find interesting is the initial reaction of the fielder. Cameron Green was convinced that he had got him. Often if there is any doubt you can see it in the body language. In this case, it looked to me, he thought it was out. So, there will be lots of talk and it will be difficult for Cameron Green. A young man coming into jungle of Test cricket. There will be a lot of people on social media who will have an opinion for Cameron Green. He's a very honest lad, great athlete to even get to that point. But look, it is out," Langer said.
Shastri added: "Let's not forget he has got giant fingers. he's a big fellow. You can see the angle of the fingers, they are under the ball. You got the thumb on top. The fingers are wrapped around the ball. Even with that two fingers, it's not too much but because of those giant fingers... Richard Kettleborough, I know from where he's coming from."
Coming to the match, India were 164/3 at stumps on Day 4 while chasing the target of 444, with Virat Kohli (44*) and Ajinkya Rahane (20*) unbeaten in the middle.