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New Delhi: The fifth and final Ashes 2023 Test match was once again subjected to some controversy on the final day, as there were questions raised by cricketing experts and as well as Australian players regarding few umpiring decisions. The Australian camp took issue with the ball change as a roughly 35-over-old ball being changed out for a new-look ball which the visitors thought was shinier and harder than it should have been.
That moment was very crucial for the Test match as the visitors had gotten off to a strong start courtesy of openers Usman Khawaja and David Warner. When the ball was changed Australian side lost a few quick wickets. Khawaja, in particular, was not happy with that umpiring failure and he said that it added an advantage after the ball change that England received.
Former Australia skipper Ricky Ponting too expressed his displeasure on air while Glenn Maxwell vented it out on social media.
Ricky Ponting on the controversial ball-change 🗣️ ‘I think it’s a huge blunder that needs to be investigated’
Full story: https://t.co/mid2wUp89q pic.twitter.com/Yu0UpJo6NB
— ESPNcricinfo (@ESPNcricinfo) August 1, 2023
Unfortunately a non-result today, game tainted by mistaken ball change and robbed fans of an authentic day. A great hard Ashes series, just a shame about fan behaviour. After being 135-0 before ball change, can acknowledge Aus deserves the urn. The so-called moral victor also 3-2 pic.twitter.com/Thb174M7Fr
— Matthew Knott (@knottymatt) July 31, 2023
Following to controversial decision, an International Cricket Council (ICC) spokesperson provided the background on the decision made by the umpires, laying out what protocols the umpires are urged to follow in situations where balls need to be changed.
“The ICC does not comment on the decisions taken by umpires in matches. We can, however, confirm that all balls are pre-selected before the start of every match and when the situation calls for it, the match officials choose the ball that is closest to the condition of the ball that is being replaced,” ICC said.
There was a visual difference between the original ball and following the ball change, with the ball that changed being a darker shade of red and lettering still visible along its side. Khawaja made that point to the umpires and reflected on it post-match.
“I walked straight up to Kumar and said straightaway, ‘That ball looks nothing like the one we were playing with. I can see writing on it’,” Khawaja told cricket.com.au. “It felt harder than any ball I‘ve faced in this Ashes series – and I’ve opened the batting against the new ball every single time. I said, ‘I don’t know what’s going on – you’ve gone from an old, reverse (swinging) ball to a brand-new ball’.”
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