ICC WTC Final: The focus is slightly moving towards the ICC World Test Championship Final. India and Australia will cross swords with each other in the final of the Test Championship and it’s fair to say that both the teams will be eager to lift the trophy. The event will take place at Oval England from the 7th to the 11th of June.
ICC WTC Final: ICC to quash off soft signal rule from World Test Championship Final
In what has been the latest development as per the reports in Cricbuzz, it is learned that International Cricket Council (ICC) is likely to abolish the soft signal rule. The reports also suggest that it’ll be effective from the World Test Championship Final between India and Australia.
As per the reports, the ICC committee headed by Sourav Ganguly has conveyed about the abolishment of rule to both the finalists of the Test Championship in India and Australia. The soft signal rule received massive flak and was a controversial rule.
Many fans and pundits were against it as they felt that with all the technology around, there’s no fun of the soft signal umpire as the third umpire without wasting time should make the decision when the on-field umpires send it upstairs.
According to the soft signal rule: “Soft Signal is the visual communication by the bowler’s end umpire to the third umpire (accompanied by additional information via two-way radio where necessary) of his/her initial on-field decision prior to initiating an Umpire Review. Should both on-field umpires require assistance from the third umpire to make a decision, the bowler’s end umpire shall firstly take a decision on-field after consulting with the striker’s end umpire, before consulting by two-way radio with the third umpire.
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“Such consultation shall be initiated by the bowler’s end umpire to the third umpire by making the shape of a TV screen with his/her hands, followed by a Soft Signal of Out or Not out made with the hands close to the chest at chest height. If the third umpire advises that the replay evidence is inconclusive, the on-field decision communicated at the start of the consultation process shall stand.”
Apart from this, it is also learned during the WTC Final, flood lights can be switched on during the game in case of poor natural light.
ICC WTC Final: India and Australia squad for WTC Final
Here’s the Indian squad for the WTC Final
Rohit Sharma (Captain), Shubman Gill, Cheteshwar Pujara, Virat Kohli, Ajinkya Rahane, Ishan Kishan, KS Bharat (wk), Ravichandran Ashwin, Ravindra Jadeja, Axar Patel, Shardul Thakur, Mohd. Shami, Mohd. Siraj, Umesh Yadav, Jaydev Unadkat.
Here’s the Australian squad for the WTC Final
Pat Cummins (captain), Scott Boland, Alex Carey, Cameron Green, Marcus Harris, Josh Hazlewood, Travis Head, Josh Inglis, Usman Khawaja, Marnus Labuschagne, Nathan Lyon, Mitchell Marsh, Todd Murphy, Matthew Renshaw, Steve Smith (vice-captain), Mitchell Starc, David Warner