I don’t think cricket needs soft signals: Parthiv Patel

Former wicketkeeper Parthiv Patel has said that soft signals =should be done away with after Suryakumar Yadav's controversial dismissal in the 4th T20I against England. Patel added that the on-field umpires shouldn't be playing any role in the decisions referred to the third umpire.

Suryakumar Yadav looked in ominous form before his innings came to an abrupt end. Playing one of his trademark pick-up shots, the 30-year-old was caught at fine-leg by Dawid Malan.

However, replays suggested that Malan had grassed the ball before scooping it up again with his fingers. But the third umpire declared him out as the soft signal from the on-field umpire suggested that.

In a post-match show on Star Sports, Parthiv Patel was categorical, saying soft signals should be scrapped.

"If I have to answer that straight, I don’t think cricket needs a soft signal. You have got to be straightforward. Either it’s out or not out. If you are not sure, go to the third umpire and tell ‘you make your own decision’. ‘We have not seen it; you make your own decision’. That was the case before." Patel said.

The former India international added further in this regard, saying:

"You have got to understand that does not mean you’re not out. When the field umpire goes to the third umpire without any soft signal, that doesn’t mean that you’re not. It’s a decision that the third umpire has to make because ‘we don’t know what happened on the field."

Time to take a Hard Call on the Soft Signal. The moment it’s outside the circle, it should be outside the purview of the on-field umpire. It’s unfair to blame the umpires...on-field and the third umpire. It’s the rule that needs changing. #IndvEng

— Aakash Chopra (@cricketaakash) March 18, 2021

Nevertheless, Suryakumar Yadav's knock of 57 off 31 balls was good enough to earn India a crucial victory that kept the series alive. The final game will be played on Saturday in Ahmedabad at the same venue.

Virat Kohli raises question about the soft signal rule

Virat Kohli was bemused with Suryakumar Yadav's controversial dismissal.

Virat Kohli also offered his take on the soft signal rule and suggested that the on-field umpires should have an "I don't know call" when they are unsure whether the catch was clean or not.

"If it’s a half-and-half effort and the fielder is in the outfield, I don’t think the umpire from square leg would see that clearly and make a conclusive call. So, the soft signal becomes that much more important. It’s a tricky one. I don’t know why there cannot be sort of an ‘I don’t know’ call for the umpire as well. Why does it have to be a conclusive one? Because then that overturns the whole decision completely. Similar to the argument we have with the umpire’s call as well," Virat Kohli said in the post-match presentation ceremony.

Plenty of former players echoed Parthiv Patel and Virat Kohli's sentiments and suggested that the soft signal rule needs to be looked at by the ICC.

How can this be out. When you are not sure whether the ball was taken cleanly after watching so many replays using top class technology and still go by the soft signal given by the on-field umpire. I think this rule needs to be revisited and changed. #INDvsENG pic.twitter.com/b5XMdH8qEz

— VVS Laxman (@VVSLaxman281) March 18, 2021