WTC Final: Ganguly-led ICC Cricket Committee made major changes ahead of IND vs AUS match; reports

The much-awaited World Test Championship (WTC) final is all set to take place in London next month between Team India and Australia. Days ahead of the blockbuster clash, the International Cricket Council (ICC) made a much-awaited rule change in the playing conditions of international games. A report in Cricbuzz suggests that the ICC Cricket Committee, headed by Sourav Ganguly, has made the changes and a message has been sent to both the finalists – India and Australia.

What changes has ICC made?

1) The soft signal rule has been changed.

2) The floodlight can be turned on during the game in case of poor lighting.

3) There will be a sixth reserve day in the Test match between India and Australia.

Why did ICC change the soft signal rule?

The soft signal rule has been criticized on several occasions as small decisions on the field changed the result for one team or the other. The change means that the third umpire will have the final call on doubtful catches.

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“ICC should get rid of the soft signal and let the third umpire who has all the technology decide, when the on-field umpire sends it up, all the controversy is always around the soft signal given. This is not a comment Is.” Decision FYI (sic),” said England Test captain Ben Stokes after making a controversial decision during the Australia v South Africa Test earlier this year.

According to the ICC rules, “a soft signal is the visual communication by the last umpire of the bowler to the third umpire (with additional information via two-way radio where necessary) prior to his initial on-field decision being made by the umpire review.”

The rule further states: “Should both on-field umpires require the assistance of a third umpire to make a decision, the bowler’s last umpire shall make the on-field decision after first consulting the striker’s last umpire, with the third umpire Two-way radio.”

“Such consultation shall be initiated by the bowler’s last umpire making the third umpire the size of a TV screen with his hands, followed by a soft signal of out or not out with hands close to the chest. Chest height. If the third umpire advises that the replay evidence is inconclusive, the on-field decision informed at the start of the consultation process shall prevail.

Indian team for WTC final

India Test Team WTC Final: Rohit Sharma (Captain), Shubman Gill, Cheteshwar Pujara, Virat Kohli, Ajinkya Rahane, KS Bharat (wk), Ravichandran Ashwin, Ravindra Jadeja, Axar Patel, Shardul Thakur, Mohd. Shami, Mohd. Siraj, Umesh Yadav, Jaydev Unadkat.

KL Rahul out

India opener KL Rahul will undergo surgery to address the issue, which means he will also miss the upcoming World Test Championship final against Australia. Rahul expressed his disappointment in an emotional post on social media, where he thanked his team for their support and wished them all the best for the rest of the tournament.