Hot Spot: TV viewers better judges than field umpires

While viewers will witness the benefits of hot spot technology during India's tour of England, it will be of no use to captains and umpires

Picture this: Sachin Tendulkar is one shy of his maiden Test century at Lord's, hundredth international hundred, and adjudged caught behind off Chris Tremlett. Just as he starts his long walk back, the infrared cameras reveal Tremlett's steep bouncer had brushed the batsman's shirt. There's an outburst of emotions, the home of cricket will perhaps never witness a Tendulkar hundred, and the master would be 42 when India tour England next, in 2015.


Imaging: Jishu Devmalakar

The reluctance to use technology threatens to stir things up this English summer. While viewers will slam an incorrect decision, the umpire won't have the power to overturn his howler, the strong Indian contingent at the ground booing him.u00a0u00a0u00a0u00a0
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Tendulkar's needs
Going by Tendulkar's recent comments, and with host broadcasters ESPNStar confirming the availability of Hot Spot (and an in-built snicko-meter) in their Live coverage that gets underway next month, the decks must perhaps be cleared for Umpire Decision Review System (UDRS) to be part of the four-Test series.

"The Hot Spot is already a part of the Sky and Channel Nine coverage. It will very much be a part of India's tour of England. In fact, it has been part of coverage in Australia and England for more than three years," Kaushik Basu, associate vice-president ufffd production of ESPN Star Sports, told MiD DAY.

Tendulkar's other stipulation needed in UDRS ufffd snicko ufffdcomes as a part of the Hot Spot technology, explained Basu. "The snicko usually comes as a part of the Hot Spot package. The sound of ball hitting bat, gloves or the pads are quite crisp. However, I haven't seen the usage of snicko-meter (a different technology that graphically analyses sound) in the ongoing England-Sri Lanka Test series," Basu said.

Acceptance
"Hot Spot has proven that it's become easier to identify the point of contact of the ball, and that's why has received praise from all quarters.

"The third umpire will not be able to avail to the services of these technologies, but the viewer's experience is sure to amplify. The question of using UDRS or not is totally up to the boards. In this case, one of boards has denied using it. During the World Cup, we had everything in place but unfortunately the owners of Hot Spot had inadequate cameras. We believe that the visual experience of a viewer will get only better in time to come,"
added Basu.