‘We just want consistency’: Root left frustrated by another hasty third umpire call
Joe Root voiced his frustration on the first day of the Ahmedabad Test after another third umpire call went against his side.
Late in the day, England had a close stumping appeal turned down by the third umpire after he judged that Rohit Sharma had part of his foot behind the crease. The third umpire, Shamshuddin, made the call off the back of a handful of replays.
After the decision, Root was heard saying “we just want consistency” to standing umpire Nitin Menon.
The call was the most recent in a line of if not controversial, frustrating marginal calls that England have been on the wrong side on in both this Test and the second Test of the series at Chennai.
Earlier in the day, Root and Stuart Broad remonstrated with Menon following a similarly quick decision made by the third umpire went against England early on in the India innings.
“We just want consistency,” Root tells on-field umpire Nitin Menon after TV ump Shamshuddin comes to a quick judgement with just one camera angle again
— Chris Stocks (@StocksC_cricket) February 24, 2021
In England’s heavy defeat at Chennai, a marginal stumping appeal against Rohit Sharma went against them while the third umpire, Anil Chaudhury, failed to check whether the ball flicked the glove of Ajinkya Rahane after an England review.
ECB say that Joe Root and Chris Silverwood spoke with the match ref at stumps tonight, asking for "consistency in the process"
"The match referee said the captain was asking the right questions of the umpires," says ECB statement
— Will Macpherson (@willis_macp) February 24, 2021
Querying the third umpire has nothing to do with “sour grapes”. It’s a basic point which has been ignored during the last two Tests (and cost Eng the wicket of Rahane at Chennai). Consider every angle. Don’t just press “not out” after one angle and 10 secs. It’s not difficult.
— Lawrence Booth (@the_topspin) February 24, 2021
Menon is the only Indian on the ICC’s 12-person Elite Panel of Umpires. Chaudhury and Shamshuddin are both on the Emirates ICC International Panel of Umpires, the rung below the Elite Panel.
