WTC Final: Was Shubman Gill out or not out? Ponting shocks with 'correct decision' remark over Green's catch
On Day 4 of the WTC Final between India and Australia, Shubman Gill was batting on 18 when he edged one off Scott Boland and the ball flew low to the left of Cameron Green at gully, who scooped it inches from the ground and immediately celebrated the dismissal.
FollowRicky Ponting, a former captain of Australia, believes that the catch made by all-rounder Cameron Green to dismiss Indian opener Shubman Gill had the ball touching the ground at one point, but he praised the third umpire for making the "correct decision" on the fourth day of the World Test Championship final.
When Gill edged one off Scott Boland while still on 18, the ball fell low to the left of Green at gully, who scooped it up just inches off the ground and immediately celebrated the dismissal, rocking India early in the pursuit of 444 runs. While the Indian opener resisted, third umpire Richard Kettleborough ruled in favour of the batter, prompting India's skipper Rohit Sharma to scream "no" in despair and cry "cheat, cheat" across The Oval's crowd.
Ponting told the ICC, "When I saw it live, I knew it had carried to him on the full, but I wasn't sure what the action was after that from all replays we have seen."
"I actually think some part of the ball did touch the ground and it is the interpretation of the umpire that as long as the fielder has complete control of the ball before the ball hits the ground then it is out. That must have been what the umpires' interpretation was and I think that is exactly what happened," he added.
While Green claimed to have taken the catch after the play ended, Gill vented his resentment on social media.
Mohammed Shami, the star pacer for India, joined others who were unhappy with the choice, claiming that given it was a WTC final, the umpires ought to have taken more time to think it over.
Ponting agreed with Justin Langer's assessment that there would be conflicting views on the choice.
"It carried probably six or eight inches off the ground then there was another action after that. There will be a lot of talk about it I am sure and there will probably be more talk in India than in Australia, Everyone in India will think it is not out and everyone in Australia will think it is out," the Australian great said.
"If it had have been given out on the field then I think the third umpire has to find conclusive evidence to overturn that decision and I don't think there would have been conclusive evidence," Ponting added.
If the on-field umpires had given the TV umpire the not-out signal, the soft signal, which was eliminated from the playing conditions prior to the final, might have gone in India's advantage.
The third umpire believed it was out even without the gentle indication, which is why I am stating that. In the end, I believe the right choice has probably been made.
"I was happy for that soft signal to be taken out of the game...I think there was too many of those that seemed irrelevant," Ponting said.
"Everyone will say now that without the soft signal it is going to what technology can see and technology can provide, but at the end of the day it is still the third umpire making the decision on what he can see," he added.
