Man behind snicko technology explains why it didn’t pick up anything in dismissal that saw furious Indian fans brand Aussie stars ‘cheaters’

The man behind snicko technology has explained the reason why the ultra-edge technology did not pick up any noise after Yashasvi Jaiswal’s controversial dismissal, as India chased Australia’s lead of 340 runs on day five at the MCG.

In thrilling circumstances, Australia would pull ahead in the series with Pat Cummins and Scott Boland both taking three wickets each on the final day to beat India by 184 runs.

Some India supporters were left furious, including the vice president of the Indian Board of Cricket Rajeev Shukla.

Some India supporters inside the MCG even branded Australia ‘cheaters’ after Jaiswal had an on-field decision of not out overturned by the third umpire Sharfuddoula.

The controversy related to how the DRS was used, with snicko not appearing to spike as the ball appeared to pass over the 23-year-old batter’s gloves before it was caught behind by Alex Carey.

In his decision, Sharfuddoula explained that even with snicko being inconclusive, the ball had appeared to have significantly changed its path as it travelled away from the batter, prompting him to overturn umpire Joel Wilson’s on-field decision and leave India with a score of 140-7.

BBG Sports are the founders of snicko and the innovative ‘Hot Spot’ technology which was first used in the 2006 Ashes and has gone on to revolutionise the review system in cricket.

Warren Brennen, who established the company and is their head of technology, revealed to The Sydney Morning Herald that snicko doesn’t always pick up slight touches or ‘glancing blows’.

‘On those glance-type shots, there is rarely any noise,’ Brennan told the outlet. ‘Glance shots are not Snicko’s strength, whereas it is for HotSpot.’

Hot Spot works using infrared cameras that can measure heat signatures gained from friction on a player’s bat, gloves or pad. In fact, the system is understood to have taken elements from technology used in military jets and tanks as part of its design.

While the system, which was designed in 2007, could have helped provide more conclusive evidence of whether Jaiswal had touched the ball, the system is currently not in use for the 2024-25 Border-Gavaskar series.

That’s because concerns have previously been raised over the system’s accuracy.

In 2013 Brennan claimed that bat coatings and tape could trick the technology and nullify the thermal signature the camera would ordinarily pick up should a cricket ball strike the bat.

Hot Spot’s use has subsequently decreased and is now not widely used by international teams.

Snicko again became a talking point just five overs after Jaiswal’s dismissal, after Akash Deep was dismissed by Scott Boland.

The India star was initially ruled not out by the on-field umpire but an Australian DRS review showed that he had knicked the ball to Travis Head with the third umpire again overturning the decision. That time, Snicko had picked up the edge.

The use of the technology was subsequently criticised by Sunil Gavaskar who, speaking on the Jaiswal incident, questioned why have snicko if umpires won’t take its findings into consideration.

‘I think maybe there will be conversations with maybe the match referee and the umpires that if the technology is not to be taken, then why have it at all?’ the India cricket legend told Channel 7.

‘That is something that will definitely be the query as far as the Indians are concerned. Yes, it looked as though it might have gone off the glove but there can be an optical illusion.’

Pat Cummins had his say on the discussion claiming he thought there was a clear knick.

‘I think it was clear that he hit it. Heard a noise, saw deviation so it was absolutely certain that he hit it,’ the Australia captain told reporters.

‘As soon as we referred it, you could see him drop his head and basically acknowledge he hit it.

‘On screen, you could see he hit. Ultra-edge, I don’t think anyone has complete confidence in and didn’t really show much but fortunately, there was other evidence to show it was out.’

While Rohit Sharma appeared to agree with Cummins: ‘I don’t know what to make of that because the technology didn’t show anything, but with the naked eye it seemed like he did touch something.’

He did, however, question the use of the technology, before conceding again that the ball appeared to take a nick.

‘I don’t know how the umpires want to use the technology, but in all fairness, I think he did touch the ball,’ Sharma added.