R Ashwin Slams On-Field Umpire Amid DRS Controversy: 'Always Feels It's Out...'

NDTV

4 hours ago

Former Indian cricket team spinner R Ashwin was not happy with on-field umpire Paul Reiffel for his calls during the Lord's Test between England and India. Reiffel found himself at the centre of a major controversy after he turned down Mohammed Siraj 's LBW appeal against Joe Root. The on-field umpire signalled not-out despite confident appeals from the Indian fielders and the batter was only able to survive thanks to the 'umpire's call'. Even legendary India spinner Anil Kumble was not happy with the umpire and on commentary, he pointed out that Reiffel did not raise his finger in any close call.
The umpire once again found himself in a fix when he gave Shubman Gill out but the replays showed that there was a huge gap between bat and ball before the catch was completed by the wicket-keeper.
Ashwin said that he feels that whenever India bats, Reiffel is too keen to raising his finger.
'My experience with Paul Reiffel, I want to talk to him. I am not saying that I should tell him to give it out. It's not like that. Whenever India bowls, he always feels it's not out. Whenever India bats, he always feels it's out," Ashwin said on his YouTube channel 'Ash Ki Baat'.
"If it's not against India but against all teams, then ICC has to look towards it,' he added.
Meanwhile, Nasser Hussain criticised the slow over rate in the third Test between India and England at the Home of Cricket, Lord's, and highlighted the issue of time-wasting.
He believed umpires should be stricter to speed up the game while maintaining its quality and excitement.
Nasser Hussain said on air, as quoted by Sky Sports, "They are supposed to bowl those overs by 6 p.m., but we are giving them an extra half an hour and they are still not getting through them. You can still have the pace and interesting cricket we are having, and still come down tough on time wasting. Some of the delays this week, and in general, are diabolical, and I think umpires need to come down strongly on players."
Former England legend Stuart Broad, on the slow over rate, said umpires want strong relationships with the players, so there is no conversation about it.
"For the players, I don't think it is a conversation. For umpires, I don't think it is a conversation; they want strong relationships with the players. The ICC are not pushing the umpires to force it either - but it is a problem for broadcasters - seeing how slow the game is frustrates us, and it is a problem for the fans. The fans are missing out on overs," Broad said.
"To put a specific moment on that: if I had bought a day-one ticket for £150 and watched my favourite batter Joe Root bat all day and then missed out on that hundred moment, I am slightly annoyed by that. I wanted to clap him, give him appreciation. You want to see the action, and fans in the stadium are missing out on pretty cool moments," he added.