The former Australian cricketer criticizes umpires for their handling of rain delays in the third AUS vs IND Test

The third test match between Australia and India At the Gabba, Brisbane have been subjected to persistent interruptions due to torrential rain, impacting the four days of play so far. With weather reports forecasting more rain on day five, much to the frustration of players, commentators and fans alike. The delay in the match due to the weather has drawn sharp criticism from former cricketers, particularly regarding the umpires’ approach to dealing with interruptions during the rain.

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Kerry O’Keefe He criticized the slow pace of play, stressing the need for referees to be more proactive. He expressed his frustration, noting that players must prepare and warm up to avoid delays.

“We have been advising being proactive with referees for years “at slow pace,” players should be out warming up, and should be ready to go. It’s frustrating for everyone,“The former cricketer turned commentator added.

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Issa Guha joins the chorus of criticism

Supporting the position of O’Keeffe, the former England cricketer cave Guha also expressed his disappointment with the referees’ handling of the situation, and confirmed that the rain stopped about 10 minutes ago, and indicated that it was due to a single cloud, which quickly dissipated.

“The rain stopped about 10 minutes ago, and you can see that when it started, it was quickly disappearing, and it was just one cloud,Guha said while commentating on Fox Cricket.

The right-arm medium-pace bowler also suggested that umpires could ask players to “hang around” during short breaks, as play may resume quickly, “I just wonder if the referees in this situation could say to the players, ‘Just wait’ because maybe we can come back straight away.”She added.

Calls for proactive measures amid rain delays

The frustration expressed by former cricketers highlights an ongoing problem in cricket with the timing of decisions made during weather outages. Both O’Keeffe and Joha’s comments underscore the need for a more proactive and efficient approach from referees, especially during rain-affected matches. Heading into the final day with more rain expected, questions remain as to whether umpires could have taken quicker action to ease the delay and give fans and players a chance to enjoy uninterrupted cricket.

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