The International Cricket Council (ICC) has made two major rule changes for the upcoming World Test Championship (WTC) final between India and Australia. According to a report in Cricbuzz, cricket's governing body has decided to eliminate the soft signal rule from international cricket. The rule is believed to come into effect from the WTC final. Apart from vanquishing the soft signal rule, the ICC has also allowed the use of floodlights at any time of the day if the natural light isn't enough for the play to continue during the WTC final.
What is the soft signal rule?
In simple terms, a soft signal rule gives the on-field umpire at the bowler's end to make a decision before sending it upstairs to the third umpire. According to ICC rule, "soft signal is the visual communication by the bowler's end umpire to the third umpire (accompanied by additional information via two-way radio where necessary) of his/her initial on-field decision prior to initiating an Umpire Review."
"Should both on-field umpires require assistance from the third umpire to make a decision, the bowler's end umpire shall firstly take a decision on-field after consulting with the striker's end umpire, before consulting by two-way radio with the third umpire. Such consultation shall be initiated by the bowler's end umpire to the third umpire by making the shape of a TV screen with his/her hands, followed by a Soft Signal of Out or Not out made with the hands close to the chest at chest height. If the third umpire advises that the replay evidence is inconclusive, the on-field decision communicated at the start of the consultation process shall stand," the rule further states.
India and Australia will square off in the second edition of the WTC final at a neutral venue which will make the contest even more compelling. It will be for the first time in two decades that India and Australia will lock horns in an ICC tournament final. The last time these two sides locked horns in an ICC final was in 2003 when Australia defeated India in the ODI World Cup final. The 2023 WTC final will be between June 7 and June 11 at The Oval, London.
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