The Australian cricket team faces another huge blow ahead of the ICC Champions Trophy 2025, with Mitchell Marsh already ruled out. Now, according to the latest update confirmed by Australian head coach Andrew McDonald, Pat Cummins may also miss the tournament.

In the ongoing Australia tour of Sri Lanka for the two-match Test series, multiple injury concerns are ruling out key players, including captain Pat Cummins and Josh Hazlewood. With Cummins unavailable, Steve Smith has been appointed as captain for the series.

Hazlewood sustained an injury during the India series, while Pat Cummins is missing out due to a heavy workload. He has been complaining of an ankle injury and is also expecting his second child.

Also Read: India vs. England ODI Series 2025: Schedule, Squads, Probable Playing XI, When & Where to Watch

Australian team coach Andrew McDonald gave an update on Pat Cummins and Josh Hazlewood while speaking to radio station SEN.

"Pat Cummins hasn't been able to resume any type of bowling, so he's heavily unlikely, so that would mean that we do need a captain."

Australian coach Andrew McDonald mentioned that Steve Smith and Travis Head are being considered for the leadership role in Pat Cummins' absence.

"Steve Smith and Travis Head are the two that we've been having conversations with while we've been building out that Champions Trophy team along with Pat back home."

McDonald believes that Steve Smith and Travis Head are these two options for the leadership role. He praised Smith for his captaincy in the first Test against Sri Lanka and his experience in leadership, saying the decision will be between those two.

McDonald talks about both Cummins and Hazelwood later in this conversation.

"As I said, Patty is hugely unlikely, which is a bit of a shame, and we've also got Josh Hazlewood, who is battling (to be fit) at the moment. So that medical information will land over the next couple of days."

Australia will finalize and submit their ICC Champions Trophy squad by February 12. The team is waiting for final injury updates on Pat Cummins and Josh Hazlewood before making a decision.

The ICC Champions Trophy 2025 will start on February 19 and will be played in a hybrid model across Pakistan and Dubai. Australia is placed in Group B alongside England, South Africa, and Afghanistan. and they will play their first match of the ICC Champions Trophy 2025 on February 26 against England.

Australia coach Andrew McDonald said that captain Pat Cummins is likely to miss the ICC Men's Champions Trophy due to his ongoing ankle issue. He also pointed out that Steve Smith and Travis Head are the main contenders to take over the captaincy. On top of that, McDonald mentioned that Josh Hazlewood is facing challenges in getting fit in time for the tournament.

Pat Cummins missed the Sri Lanka Test tour to be with his family for the birth of his second child. On top of that, he’s been struggling with an ankle issue that got worse after a demanding workload during the Border-Gavaskar Trophy. Australia’s ODI players who aren’t part of the Test squad are set to fly out to Sri Lanka on Thursday. However, McDonald revealed on Wednesday that it’s looking unlikely that Pat Cummins will be part of the squad for the Champions Trophy.

Pat Cummins still hasn’t been able to bowl, so it looks really unlikely that he’ll be fit for the upcoming matches. That means the team will need to find a new captain. McDonald shared with SEN, “We’ve been having discussions with Steve Smith and Travis Head as we build our Champions Trophy squad . They’re the two we’re looking at for the Captaincy role.” 

🚨 PAT CUMMINS SET TO MISS 2025 CHAMPIONS TROPHY. 🚨

- Steven Smith or Travis Head could lead Australia. (Espncricinfo). pic.twitter.com/E1Zi8dpwca

— Mufaddal Vohra (@mufaddal_vohra) February 5, 2025

He continued, “Steve’s done a fantastic job in the first Test, and he’s had plenty of success in one day internationals too, so it’s between those two.” It’s a shame about Pat, but McDonald also mentioned that Josh Hazlewood is battling a hip issue. After missing parts of the series against India and Sri Lanka due to side  injuries, Hazlewood is still working on his fitness. They’re expecting more medical updates soon.

ALSO READ: Ind vs Eng: Fans flock outside Cuttack's Barabati Stadium ahead of offline ticket sales

With both Cummins and Hazlewood unavailable, it opens the door for Sean Abbott to return to the ODI squad. He had missed out on the final Champions Trophy selection due to his recent form, but now he’s back in the picture. Spencer Johnson is also in the mix, as he was initially set to travel to Sri Lanka as a backup for the ODI squad.Australia's selectors are in for a bit of a challenge when it comes to picking the XI for the first ODI against Sri Lanka on February 12. With just one travel day between the end of the second Test and the first ODI, it’s a tight turnaround. ODI squad members like Head, Smith, Marnus Labuschagne, Josh Inglis, Alex Carey, and Mitchell Starc are all playing in the Test match. However, if the Test ends quickly on a pitch that looks drier than the previous one, they could get a bit of extra time to rest and recover before the ODI.

Australia Names Preliminary Squad for ICC Champions Trophy

Aaron Hardie and Matt Short very well picked for the first time for an ICC event, as the people choosing the team for Australia announced a group of 15 members for the Champions Trophy, which starts on February 19. They're going to play the tournament in both Pakistan and the UAE.

Australia, two-time Champions Trophy winners, has opted for an allrounder-heavy lineup, leaving out Jake Fraser-McGurk after a poor domestic season. Nathan Ellis, instrumental in Hobart Hurricanes' KFC BBL|14 finals run, joins Short and Hardie as new inclusions compared to the squad that won the ODI World Cup 14 months ago.

Key Changes and Notable Omissions

Pat Cummins is supposed to be the head of the team, but he might not play because of his bad ankle, George Bailey, the individual who picks the team, shared. Dave Warner is relaxing since he's retired, Cameron Green's got to make sure his needs are taken care of, and Sean Abbott can't make it to the tournament.

Comments from the Selectors

Australia's team has a match with Sri Lanka in Hambantota just a single One Day International event and that's happening right after their second Test match in Galle, three days later, to be exact. They're putting up a conflict in Group B and they've had really good matches versus Afghanistan, England, and South Africa, and many group games. They're happening in Lahore and Rawalpindi, Pakistan. The first important game they have is against England on February 22, which is like the start of the tournament for them. "This squad reflects a balance of experience and flexibility," Bailey stated. "With several core players from the successful ODI World Cup campaign and recent series, we have options to adapt to different conditions in Pakistan." The team is built around a strong pace unit, supported by Adam Zampa as the sole specialist spinner. Seam bowling has historically been more effective in Pakistan's ODI conditions.

AUSTRALIA SQUAD FOR CHAMPIONS TROPHY 2025 🏆

Cummins (C), Carey, Ellis, Hardie, Hazlewood, Head, Inglis, Labuschagne, Marsh, Maxwell, Short, Smith, Starc, Stoinis, Zampa. pic.twitter.com/OPgYBA7qtY

— Johns. (@CricCrazyJohns) January 13, 2025

Aaron Hardie throws balls quickly, Matt Short spins slowly, while Glenn Maxwell, Mitch Marsh, and Marcus Stoinis add a lot of options. They're really key players. Alex Carey, who's been performing well against England, is the backup for the main wicket-keeper Josh Inglis. Hardie’s inclusion comes despite limited bowling in the ongoing BBL 14 season due to a quad injury. Short, meanwhile, has impressed with consistent performances and a stunning century for the Adelaide Strikers upon returning from injury. Tournament Format and Australia's Goals The Champions Trophy, last held in 2017, features eight teams with the top two from each group advancing to the semi-finals. The final will be played on March 9 in Lahore or Dubai. Australia, already holders of the men's and women's ODI World Cups and the Under-19 title, aims to secure the only remaining ICC 50-over trophy to complete their collection.

ALSO READ: Yograj Singh Took a Pistol to Confront Kapil Dev After Being Dropped from the Team

Australia’s Fixtures

February 22: Australia vs England, Lahore (8 PM ) 

February 25: Australia vs South Africa, Rawalpindi (8 PM ) 

February 28: Australia vs Afghanistan, Lahore (8 PM )

 March 4: Semi-Final 1, Dubai (8 PM )

 March 5: Semi-Final 2, Lahore (8 PM )

March 9: Final, Lahore or Dubai (8 PM )

2025 ICC Men's Champions Trophy

Australia preliminary squad: Pat Cummins (c), Alex Carey, Nathan Ellis, Aaron Hardie, Josh Hazlewood, Travis Head, Josh Inglis, Marnus Labuschagne, Mitchell Marsh, Glenn Maxwell, Matt Short, Steve Smith, Mitchell Starc, Marcus Stoinis, Adam Zampa

Broadcast Information

All Champions Trophy matches will be streamed on Prime Video in Australia, as part of their exclusive ICC rights for 2024-27.

Cricket Australia (CA) have finalized their Test squad for the upcoming two-match Test series against Sri Lanka which will commence on January 29. Steve Smith will take over the captaincy responsibilities and will lead the side in the absence of Pat Cummins who has opted for a paternity leave. Besides, he is also addressing an ankle issue that came to light during the course of the five-match Border Gavaskar Test series against India. Travis Head has been named as Smith's deputy. 

There is no mention of Australian speedster Josh Hazlewood and bowling all-rounder Mitch Marsh, both of whom were ruled out mid-way through the Border Gavaskar Test series. As the Sri Lankan pitches are predominantly expected to favor spin, Australia have revamped their spin arsenal for all the obvious reasons. Cooper Connolly, Matt Kuhnemann, Nathan Lyon, and Todd Murphy are the four frontline spinners who have been drafted into the squad. 

Beau Webster and Sam Konstas were the two debutants for Australia in the recently concluded BGT series. They have been included in the squad along with the opener Nathan McSweeney who looked a little out of form in that series. Alex Carey will primarily take on the wicket-keeping responsibilities but will also have the services of Josh Inglis as a backup wicketkeeper option.

See also: Young swashbuckling Australian opener in danger of missing out on Sri Lankan tour

A look at the Australian Test Squad 

Steve Smith (c), Sean Abbott, Scott Boland, Alex Carey, Cooper Connolly, Travis Head (vc), Josh Inglis, Usman Khawaja, Sam Konstas, Matt Kuhnemann, Marnus Labuschagne, Nathan Lyon, Nathan McSweeney, Todd Murphy, Mitchell Starc, Beau Webster

Sunrisers Hyderabad (SRH) made it to the final of the Indian Premier League 2024 season but failed to advance to the title. The Pat Cummins-led team hopes to compete for the prized IPL championship this season after expanding their roster with some big players at the IPL auction 2025 in Jeddah. SRH won their first IPL title in 2016 and want to add to their total.

Last season, they finished second best against the well-balanced defending champions, Kolkata Knight Riders. Given the balance, many will believe that SRH may go even further this time around by having a top-tier captain in Pat Cummins. That said, here we look over the two significant strengths and weaknesses of the 2024 Sunrisers Hyderabad squad.

Sunrisers Hyderabad 2025 IPL Squad: Heinrich Klaasen, Pat Cummins, Abhishek Sharma, Travis Head, Nitish Kumar Reddy, Ishan Kishan, Jaydev Unadkat, Mohammed Shami, Harshal Patel, Rahul Chahar, Abhinav Manohar, Adam Zampa, Simarjeet Singh, Eshan Malinga, Brydon Carse, Sachin Baby, Kamindu Mendis, Zeeshan Ansari, Aniket Verma, Atharva Taide.

2 Strengths:

A Swashbuckling and emerging batting lineup

In the previous edition, Sunrisers Hyderabad acted as the epitome of power-hitting, showcasing the imaginative side of T20I batting. They hold the record for scoring the most runs in an IPL innings (287/3 vs Royal Challengers Bengaluru on 15 April, 2024), implying how good they were with the willow. Travis Head and Abhishek Sharma, who tore apart teams with the bat last year and scored at will, comprise the most lethal opening combination, as seen by their recent international exploits.

Ishan Kishan joins the ranks, bringing additional mobility. Like Head and Abhishek, Kishan is an aggressive batsman who can score excellent runs quickly. Not to forget, Heinrich Klaasen and Nitish Kumar Reddy are your ideal number five and six. Klaasen is the big man and the game-winning finisher. Overall, the team's batting has been strengthened to the maximum as all of them have been at their best in the international format, and we may witness a better version of it in the 2025 IPL edition. 

Read Also: IPL 2025: 2 Strengths & 1 Weakness of Kolkata Knight Riders 2025 IPL Squad

Batter's nightmare Pacers' unit

Sunrisers Hyderabad have a fantastic pace attack. After parting ways with their long-time senior pacer, Bhuvneshwar Kumar, Pat Cummins takes the lead with veteran Mohammed Shami assisting. Cummins from Australia excelled with 18 scalps the previous season and was a steady force. And with Shami in, the bowling gets a boost. Shami has been bowling at full throttle since returning from an injury.

Due to a major right heel injury, he did not play in the IPL in 2024, although he did take 28 wickets for the Gujarat Titans in 2023 making him a promising pacer for the 2016 champions. Finally, there's medium pacer Harshal Patel. Notably, he has won the Purple Cap twice, most recently in 2021 with the Royal Challengers Bengaluru. Overall, with the ideal balance of different types of rapid bowlers, it is unsurprising that hitters will have nightmares. 

1 Weakness:

The usual trend of lack of a reliable spinner

Though the forthcoming 2025 Sunrisers Hyderabad spin assault is stronger than the previous season, there may be some serious roadblocks. Rahul Chahar will come into the team, and Australia's reliable spinmeister Adam Zampa can help the Indian bowler.

However, if SRH intends to retain Zampa on the bench, owing to the lack of overseas players, there will be a dearth of frontline spinners. Zeeshan Ansari has yet to play T20 cricket. Except for Ansari, SRH does not have a spinner. Given any concerns about harm, this is one area where SRH may fall short and could be a significant weakness.

South Africa and Australia have booked their berth for the upcoming World Test Championship (WTC) final which is scheduled to be held on June 11, 2025, at the Lord's Cricket Ground in the UK. While Australia have already made it to the summit once and conquered it too in the process, it is a grand occasion for South Africa as they look to make their maiden WTC final appearance. 

South Africa exceeded everyone's expectations by enduring a dominating run, both at home and overseas. South African head coach Shukri Conrad's presence helped the team immensely and ever since Bavuma took over the captaincy, South Africa went on a roll winning 10 out of 14 Tests whilst remaining undefeated.

See also: Usman Khawaja Praises Yashasvi Jaiswal After His Great Performance in BGT 2024-25

Rabada threatens Australia ahead of the WTC clash

It goes without saying that the WTC final clash between South Africa and Australia will be an absolute box office. The presence of world-class pacers and in-form batters on both sides will make the summit clash all the more enthralling to watch. 

One of the world's renowned pacers Kagiso Rabada will spearhead South Africa's bowling attack in the upcoming WTC final and has warned Cummins and his men to not take them lightly as they have already beaten them before.

“South Africa vs Australia has always been an intense rivalry. We play hard and they are going to come hard at us, and we know that. But we also know how to beat them.”

Throughout countless generations, the rivalry between South Africa and Australia has always been a closely-contested affair. Australia are currently the defending champions and they will leave no stone unturned to secure their second WTC title on the bounce.

How did the two teams make it to the WTC Final?

South Africa and Australia endured enormous hardship in their quest to fulfill their WTC final aspirations. In some instances, they also rode their luck to prevail during nervy times. But when it mattered the most, both teams gave it their all and brought their A-game to the fore to come on top.

South Africa needed one win against Pakistan to go through but a breezy run chase soon turned out to be a nightmare when they were reduced to 99-8 during the second innings at Centurion. Fortunately, Rabada and Jansen came to their rescue and helped South Africa get over the line by a slim margin of two wickets. 

Australia on the other hand, came on top in the recently concluded Border Gavaskar Trophy series despite being blown away in Perth. They successfully fended off a one-man army spearheaded by Jasprit Bumrah and clinched the series 3-1 to power themselves to second straight WTC final.

Beau Webster Set to Step in for Mitchell Marsh in the 5th Test Against India

Starting January 3, 2025, the Sydney Cricket Ground is going to be extremely busy because Australia is getting ready to face off against India in the fifth and vitally key test. The team is bringing in a new man, Beau Webster, for his first test game ever, and he's taking over for Mitchell Marsh. This change is very big news.

Since Australia is ahead in the Border-Gavaskar Trophy series with a 2-1 lead, they're excited and ready to snatch their first series win in India in more than ten years.

“Beau’s story is a great one of resilience… I think he’ll have the backing of an entire state over the next five days”

Terrific to chat with some of those closest to Beau Webster ahead of his Test debut tomorrow.@TheMercurySport

STORY ➡️ https://t.co/l0QcRp9yPT pic.twitter.com/yflVqciAal

— Ryan Rosendale (@RosendaleRyan) January 2, 2025

Why Mitchell Marsh Is Out

The selectors saw that Mitchell Marsh wasn't doing too well in the series, only scoring 73 runs and not doing much with his bowling. They think this is a good opportunity for Beau Webster to step in and display his abilities at the international level.

Pat Cummins, our captain, said Mitch Marsh is still vitally important for the team, especially when we are discussing the short games but he also mentioned that adding Webster to the team will make things better. And he made sure everyone knew this is not farewell for Marsh in test cricket at all.

ALSO READ:Pat Cummins Reveals Australia’s Strategy to Tackle Jasprit Bumrah in Sydney Test

Spotlight on Beau Webster

Beau Jacob Webster has been making waves in domestic cricket, which earned him this debut. His versatility is a huge asset, as he bats right-handed and can bowl both off-spin and medium pace.

Domestic Career Highlights

Webster achieved it in the 2023-24 Sheffield Shield season, making him the second individual ever to hit more than 900 runs and take 30 wickets in just one season. Playing for Tasmania in the local games, he's also been doing really good for the Melbourne Stars in the Bash league.

First-Class Career Stats

Matches: 93

Runs Scored: 5,297

Batting Average: 37.83

Centuries/Half-Centuries: 12/24

Wickets Taken: 148

Bowling Average: 37.39

Best Bowling Figures: 6/100

Webster's all-around skills and impressive form make him a perfect fit for this high-pressure match against India.

Australia's Squad for the 5th Test

Most of the squad remains unchanged, with Webster being the only newcomer. The confirmed playing XI is:

Sam Konstas, Usman Khawaja, Marnus Labuschagne, Steve Smith, Travis Head, Beau Webster, Alex Carey, Pat Cummins, Mitchell Starc, Nathan Lyon, Scott Boland

India Looks to Draw Level as SCG Hosts the Final Test of the Border-Gavaskar Trophy 2024-25

The important game, the fifth and final test of the Border-Gavaskar Trophy (BGT) 2024-25, between India and Australia, begins Friday, January 3, at the famous Sydney Cricket Ground (SCG). India's playing very seriously because Australia's currently ahead in the series. Winning this match would mean not simply leveling the series at 2-2, but it also keeps India in the running to make it to the World Test Championship (WTC) 2025 final.

Jasprit Bumrah is a very essential player for India when they're trying to win. Bumrah's the main bowler and has been doing great in the series, grasping 30 wickets in four Tests and having a really good average of 12.83. Bumrah also was the top bowler in Tests in 2024 because he grabbed 71 wickets in just 13 matches and his average was 14.92.

Pat Cummins said, "Jasprit Bumrah is India's most influential player in this series. He's made us work harder, he's a great bowler". pic.twitter.com/cSFoM7K925

— Mufaddal Vohra (@mufaddal_vohra) December 30, 2024

Pat Cummins on Tackling Jasprit Bumrah

At the pre-match press conference on January 2, Pat Cummins, the captain of the Australian team, discussed Jasprit Bumrah, and how Australia plans to deal with the Indian bowler in the upcoming skill. Cummins mentioned that Bumrah is doing well today, Bumrah is throwing the ball nicely right now. Bumrah is always tough. Hopefully, by the time I come in, late in the afternoon, he has bowled quite a bit, which might make it a bit easier for me but he is bowling well.

Cummins said Bumrah is tough to play against but he hopes Bumrah is sleepy from all the bowling when it's his turn to bat, which might make it a little simpler. Across the world, in various formats, I've faced him quite a lot, and he always makes things challenging. Cummins made it clear that Bumrah's very good at what he does.

However, he knows it's going to be tough because he has faced Bumrah many times around the world and knows firsthand the challenge he poses.Cummins said something amusing about how lucky he was in the last match because he was at the non-striker's end when Bumrah was bowling. Last game, being at the non-striker's end definitely gave me an edge, he said with a little smile.

ALSO READ:Kusal Perera’s Blazing Century: A Record-Breaking Show in Sri Lanka’s Consolation Win

A Memorable New Year's Celebration: Indian and Australian Cricket Teams Attend Prime Minister's Party

As the cricketing world gears up for the final game of the Border-Gavaskar Trophy on Friday, the Indian and Australian teams took a brief respite from the action to attend a grand New Year's party hosted by Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese. Held at the picturesque Kirribilli House in Sydney on Wednesday, the celebration lasted for about 90 minutes, blending cricket, camaraderie, and humor.

At the event, Albanese showed up with his fiancée Jodie Haydon and had some fun by telling funny stories. He really couldn't help making jokes about Jasprit Bumrah, the Indian bowler who's been a strikingly large problem for the Aussie hitters, getting 30 wickets already in the series. Albanese is known to have a pretty sharp sense of humor, and he made sure to share a cheerful moment with the players while he was there.

The crowd thought it was very amusing when the Prime Minister joked that Bumrah was so proficient at cricket, that they may potentially have to make him bowl with his left hand, or only let him take one step before he threw. Everyone really enjoyed the enjoyable event the prime minister brought.

ALSO READ:Ex-India Coach Shastri Pushes for Two-Tier Test Format After MCG Classic

Sam Konstas' Big Moment

At the party, Sam Konstas had a great tim

The Australian and Indian teams have already given us an incredible summer of cricket. pic.twitter.com/oqVDOOr5Bm

— Anthony Albanese (@AlboMP) January 1, 2025

e when he was able to snap a photo with Virat Kohli, his cricket idol. Everyone knows about Konstas lately because he's been performing well in Australian cricket, especially after scoring a century in the Prime Minister's XI game, and another marvelous 60 runs at the MCG. This was very important for him since there was a nervous moment between him and the legendary Kohli before.

Konstas is a bright light that everyone at the party was noticing.

During the series, there was an incident on the field between them, and because of it, Kohli got his match fee cut by 20% and also obtained a demerit point but it looks like all their hard feelings were gone at the party. Konstas' parents were even able to have a photo taken with Bumrah, which was wonderful, owing to it showed everyone was just there to enjoy themselves and celebrate the event.

Words of Wisdom from Team Leaders

Gautam Gambhir, the Indian head coach, took over for Rohit Sharma and spoke to everyone. First thing, he tipped his hat to Australia for playing so well and making things tough. Even though he didn't say much about how the series might end up, he was focused on India trying very hard to make sure the last test is really fun. Gambhir knows it's not easy playing in Australia, and he said as much.

Pat Cummins, the Australian captain, is extremely excited after the Melbourne Test match. Cummins thinks it was probably the most intense and dramatic game he's ever played, taking an entire five days full of struggle. Since Australia is leading the series 2-1, Cummins is eager to win the last match and keep the series trophy.

Everyone's talking about how Yashasvi Jaiswal got out in the fourth test of the Border-Gavaskar trophy at the Melbourne Cricket Ground (MCG) . It happened in the 71st over, when Pat Cummins, the captain of the Australian team, was bowling to the Indian opener.Jaiswal, who was batting fluently on 84, attempted a pull shot off a short delivery from Cummins. The Australian fielders immediately appealed for a catch behind, but the on-field umpire ruled Jaiswal not out. Dissatisfied, Cummins opted for a review.

The Controversial Decision

The third umpire reviewed the footage to make a difficult decision they didn't see any clear evidence from the snickometer, which is supposed to detect if the ball hits the bat. However, slowing the playback showed the ball's path possibly moved slightly near Jaiswal's gloves. With this clue, the original decision got flipped, and Jaiswal was ruled out for hitting the ball behind him.

Lot of fans and experts were really not feeling the decision because they thought visual proof shouldn't be trusted more than Snickometer data. Social media was filled with assorted arguments, making the cricket fans split on whether the call was right or not.

🗣 "Yeh optical illusion hai."#SunilGavaskar questions the 3rd umpire's decision to overlook the Snicko technology. OUT or NOT OUT - what’s your take on #Jaiswal’s dismissal? 👀#AUSvINDOnStar 👉 5th Test, Day 1 | FRI, 3rd JAN, 4:30 AM | #ToughestRivalry #BorderGavaskarTrophy pic.twitter.com/vnAEZN9SPw

— Star Sports (@StarSportsIndia) December 30, 2024

Reactions:

BCCI's Stand

Yashasvi Jaiswal was surely safe, Rajeev Shukla, the BCCI Vice-President, said. Shukla was very upset regarding the call and mentioned, the third umpire should have checked the technology better, the Snickometer didn't even show a spike. In the end, the BCCI asked for a review on how decisions are made in situations like this.

Yashaswi jayaswal was clearly not out. Third umpire should have taken note of what technology was suggesting. While over ruling field umpire third umpire should have solid reasons . @BCCI @ICC @ybj_19

— Rajeev Shukla (@ShuklaRajiv) December 30, 2024

Former Players' Opinions

Sunil Gavaskar, a famous cricket player from India, didn't think it was a good call. Gavaskar said that if technology can't really prove there's an edge, the batter should be given a fair chance. Separately , Ricky Ponting, a major name in Australian cricket, agreed with the choice made. Ponting said it was obvious there was a deflection and the third umpire had all he needed to change the original decision.

🗣️ "If the evidence of the technology is not to be taken, why have it at all? That is something that would definitely be the query as far as the Indians are concerned."

- Sunil Gavaskar on the Jaiswal DRS call #AUSvIND pic.twitter.com/Xv6f9VlysM

— 7Cricket (@7Cricket) December 30, 2024

India's Captain Weighs In

When Rohit Sharma, the captain of India, was questioned regarding the dismissal, he remarked, It wasn't visible on Snicko but you could see it change direction with your own eyes, there was a deviation. It seemed he made contact with it. Although it's a hard decision, we accept what was concluded.

Neutral Expert View

Simon Taufel, who used to be a top umpire, supported the third umpire. Taufel mentioned that the umpire's decision followed the rules. Taufel explained that even though technology helps make decisions, it can still make mistakes Taufel said that you can see the ball bounce off the glove in this situation.

Match Impact

India was possibly doing well with a score of 142/4 and it looked like they were going to put up a good total but then Jaiswal got out, and things got worse after that. The team crumbled and only added 13 more runs, ending up with 155 for the second innings. Australia found it simple to go after that and came out on top by 184 runs, making the series obtain even at 2-2.