Australia-India ‘Cheating’ Allegations Dismissed by Snicko Technology Creator
Snicko creator Warren Brennan addresses the Australia-India cricket controversy, explaining the technology's limitations in detecting faint edges during Yashasvi Jaiswal's dismissal.
The creator of the Snicko technology has addressed the controversy surrounding Yashasvi Jaiswal’s dismissal during the Australia-India match, explaining why the ultra-edge technology did not detect any sound in the contentious moment.
Backlash Over Controversial Dismissal
The final day of the match at the Melbourne Cricket Ground (MCG) ended with Australia securing a 184-run victory. However, the spotlight fell on Indian rising star Yashasvi Jaiswal’s dismissal, which triggered widespread debate among fans and pundits.
The controversy began when Jaiswal’s dismissal was reviewed. Although the Snicko technology showed no sound, video replays revealed a visible deviation of the ball. This led third umpire Sharfuddoula Saikat to overturn the on-field decision, declaring Jaiswal out. The decision prompted accusations of Australia “cheating” to win.
Snicko’s Limitations Explained
Warren Brennan, the founder of BBG Sports and the creator of Snicko and Hot Spot technologies, clarified the situation. Speaking to CODE Sports, Brennan explained that Snicko does not always detect faint touches or glancing blows.
“That was one of those shots where there isn’t any noise, so Snicko only shows ambient sound,” Brennan said.
“I checked with the audio director, and he confirmed there was no noise either. Hot Spot might have resolved that one.”
Brennan’s explanation supported Sharfuddoula’s decision to rely on the visible deviation of the ball to determine that Jaiswal had made contact.
Criticism from Indian Cricket Community
Despite the clarification, Indian cricket officials and fans remained unhappy. BCCI Vice President Rajeev Shukla criticized the third umpire for disregarding the technology.
“Yashasvi Jaiswal was clearly not out. The third umpire should have relied on technology. If they are overturning an on-field decision, there must be solid evidence,” Shukla stated.
Indian cricket legend Sunil Gavaskar also voiced his concerns during Channel 7’s broadcast, questioning the purpose of the technology if its findings were not considered. Gavaskar speculated that the ball’s movement might have been an optical illusion.
“If technology’s evidence is ignored, why have it at all? It could have been a visual illusion caused by the ball moving near the bat,” Gavaskar said.
Calls to Reintroduce Hot Spot
While Gavaskar remained unconvinced, Brennan acknowledged that Hot Spot could have offered a more definitive answer. Hot Spot uses infrared cameras to detect heat signatures generated by friction on a bat, gloves, or pads. However, the technology is currently not in use for the ongoing Border-Gavaskar series due to concerns over its accuracy.
With the renewed debate, many are calling for Hot Spot to be reintroduced to improve decision-making in high-stakes matches.
