The dismissal of Indian all-rounder Washington Sundar on the opening day of the New Year's Test at the SCG sparked controversy. It occurred during India's first innings when Sundar was caught behind by Australian skipper Pat Cummins.
The on-field umpire, Saikat Sharfuddoula, first declared Sundar not out, but Australia requested a review. TV umpire Joel Wilson spent a long time analyzing the video to see if Sundar had gloved the short-pitched delivery.
The snickometer detected a spike as the ball passed near Sundar's glove, but the images raised concerns. When the ball was closest to the glove, one frame showed no spike, while the next frame showed a spike.
Wilson ruled that there was enough evidence to overturn the on-field decision. Sundar was visibly surprised when the final result, 'OUT', flashed on the large screen. He attempted to protest but was directed to leave the field, leaving with a score of 14.
The choice did not sit well with Indian fans and experts. Jasprit Bumrah, India's stand-in captain, expressed his anger with the Sundar decision when he walked inintoat, to replace the all-rounder.
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The decision sparked outrage as former England captain Michael Vaughan called the ruling "awful", expressing disbelief.
"No way is that OUT… that's an awful decision …," Vaughan posted on X.
"I'm sorry, but that's a crap decision! Sure, there was a spike, but from the side angle, there was a clear space between the ball and the glove. There is a lot of ambiguity with these kinds of decisions. The benefit must go to the batter," Uthappa posted on X.
However, former umpire Simon Taufel defended Wilson, explaining that the protocols justified the decision.
"What Joel Wilson's looking for here is that spike up to one frame past the glove, and he's got that spike. There's nothing else out there, and the ball is underneath the glove. The third umpire is well and truly within his rights, according to the protocols, to determine that's conclusive evidence for ball on glove," Taufel stated on Channel 7.
