Heated debate between Vaughan and Hawkins on DRS transparency before the final test

New Delhi (Uttam Hindu News): Former England cricketer Michael Vaughan and Hawkeye creator Paul Hawkins got into a heated argument after Vaughan advocated transparency in Decision Review System (DRS) decisions.

Controversy erupted when Vaughan, advocating complete transparency in DRS reviews, suggested that cameras and microphones should be placed inside the DRS chamber so that fans at home could see how decisions were made. His comments came after the controversial dismissal of Joe Root during the Ranchi Test.

Hawkins immediately opposed Vaughan’s proposal, dismissing it as “uneducated” and urging Vaughan to apply more diligence in his role as a cricket analyst. He stressed the importance of factual accuracy in cricket journalism and compared it to Hawk-Eye’s obligation to provide accurate analysis.

“I think the commentary is a bit uneducated. It’s unfortunate on Vaughan’s part, because obviously he was a brilliant player, he was a lot of fun to watch play and he was a great commentator and very entertaining. But I think it’s a responsibility towards the game from a journalistic point of view. Perhaps a little more preparation in the context of his role as a journalist might help him understand what is happening with cricket’s huge fan base so that what he writes is factually correct.” “Just as Hawk-Eye has a responsibility to be factually accurate, perhaps so do journalists,” Hawkins said.

Undeterred by Hawking’s criticism, Vaughan reaffirmed his stance on his official social media account X (formerly Twitter) and reiterated his call for transparency in DRS operations. Expressing hope that DRS will be fully operational during the upcoming Test match in Dharamsala, he stressed the need to show all the decisions taken in DRS to the home fans.

Vaughan said, “It is very simple.. For complete transparency please show all the decisions.. Show the fans at home how your operation works.. That is all I have asked for.. Make it for the next Test in India. Looking forward to seeing it in full flow.”

Vaughan termed Root’s dismissal as a “blow to technology” in a now-deleted tweet, further fueling the debate. Root had protested against the decision, believing that the ball had pitched outside leg stump.

The fifth and final Test match of the England-India series is scheduled to begin on March 7 at HPCA, Dharamshala.