UMPIRING TECHNOLOGY

Soft signal helps negate over-reliance on technology: Simon Taufel

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"It's part of the decision making process. If the third umpire cannot find conclusive evidence to prove that the original on-field decision is incorrect, then it stands." © Cricbuzz

Former international umpire Simon Taufel remains one of the most revered figures in world cricket. Taufel officiated in 74 Tests, 174 ODIs and 34 T20s in a career that saw him being named the ICC's Umpire of the Year from 2004 to 2008.While the 45-year-old chose to not air his views on the Decision Review System (DRS), he interacted with TOI on the advent of 'soft signal' in umpiring, on umpires wearing protective gear and more.

Excerpts:

What's your take on the soft signal introduced in the umpires' training program in the last few years?

It's part of the decision making process. If the third umpire cannot find conclusive evidence to prove that the original on-field decision is incorrect, then it stands. On-field umpires are there to make decisions and answer appeals, not simply to send them upstairs to the third umpire to take the call. Decision making is an important skill and one that should be applied at the highest level of the game. So, the soft signal maintains the premise that the decision-making happens on field and not just left to technology to provide an outcome.

Of late, we have seen umpires wearing helmets or even a protective arm-guard. Do you see more and more umpires doing the same in future?

Safety is becoming more of a consideration these days as bats become more powerful, players become stronger and batsmen try to hit straighter towards the umpires at the bowler's end where there are no fielders.I suppose helmets and protective equipment allow the batsman more freedom to play naturally -to focus on the ball and not the fear of being hurt. Perhaps it is the same for umpires -it allows them to focus on their duties knowing that they are protected if something unusual happens.

With technology only getting better with each passing year, has it limited the role of on-field umpires?

I don't think so -technology should be used to support the role of the on field umpire, not replace it, in my view. Decision-making is not the only one important function of an on-field umpire. There is match management (managing ground, weather and light -maximizing playing time, managing player behaviour), knowledge (application of laws and playing conditions, various codes), effective communication and conduct of the match with the captains. Technology is there to be embraced as an addition to the skill set, not a replacement for other skills.

You have been someone who built relationship with players. How important is it for an umpire to maintain a rapport with players he is officiating?

For me it is vital. I always had a healthy respect for what the players had to do, and I hope they felt the same about me. To manage the match efficiently, I believe a match official need to have a strong professional working relationship with all the participants -based on respect and trust. It's easy to manage a match when things are going well, but when there is conflict or disagreement, the foundation relationship comes into play and allows the matter to be resolved better. While the player or team may not like the outcome, they are far more likely to accept it and move on faster.

How important is it for umpires to be sharpening their communication skills?

Effective communication is vital -messages need to be clearly communicated and understood. Umpires need to communicate well with each other, the team management, captains, ground staff and scorers. So many problems occur when umpires do not communicate effectively and this area is made more challenging with the global nature of our game.

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