England Test skipper Ben Stokes has expressed his displeasure over the soft signal rule, asking ICC to scrap it citing that the TV umpire should be taking the final decision with all the available technology.  

Notably, the soft signal became the talk of the town on Wednesday (January 4) after Marnus Labuschagne was caught behind off Marco Jansen at first slip on Day 1 of the third Test between Australia and South Africa at SCG.

The Proteas appealed for a catch and the soft signal was given 'out' by the on-field umpire Paul Reiffel before getting his decision reviewed by the TV umpire. However, the third umpire concluded that there was conclusive evidence that the ball had touched the ground before being grabbed by Simon Harmer.

After the incident, Stokes posted a tweet, stating that the soft signals are of no use and the governing body should abolish it.

"ICC should get rid off the soft signal and let the 3rd umpire who has all the technology to make the decision when the on field umpires send it upstairs, all the controversy is always around the soft signal given," Stokes tweeted.

Former India spinner Harbhajan Singh also endorsed Ben Stokes's suggestion to the ICC about soft signals.

"Absolutely waste of time (soft signals)what is the point giving a soft signal when you are referring it to the 3rd umpire anyways .. let the 3rd umpire give decision," Harbhajan replied to Stokes.

After the first day’s play, Marnus Labuschagne himself shared his thoughts on the catch and the decision by the third umpire.

"Regardless of whether it's caught or not, with technology, there's so many ones that people are adamant they have caught - and Simon said 'I've caught that' - and in the old rules of catching it, because you felt like your fingers are under it, absolutely, but with the new footage those are so scrutinised because you see so many angles,” he said. "Especially that side-on angle, makes it look really bad, then the front-on angle actually looks pretty good."

(India Today Inputs)