West Indies head coach Daren Sammy has raised serious concerns over the standard of TV umpiring in the ongoing Test match against Australia, following several contentious decisions on Day 2 at Kensington Oval in Barbados. Sammy met with match referee Javagal Srinath to seek clarity on calls that he felt unfairly disadvantaged his side.
At the center of the controversy is TV umpire Adrian Holdstock, whose officiating has come under scrutiny. Sammy highlighted not only incidents from the current Test but also expressed frustration over Holdstock’s performances during the recent ODI series in England, where the South African umpire was involved both as TV and on-field umpire.
Two moments in particular angered the West Indies camp. The first was the lbw dismissal of captain Roston Chase to Pat Cummins, which the West Indies believed involved a clear inside edge. The second was Shai Hope’s caught-behind dismissal off Beau Webster, which was upheld by the third umpire despite doubts about the catch’s cleanliness.
“We are just trying to find some sort of understanding as to what the process is,” Sammy told reporters. “We only hope for consistency. That’s all we could ask for. When there is doubt in something, just be consistent across the board.”
Sammy went on to voice concern about a potential bias, saying, “You don’t want to get yourself in a situation where you’re wondering about certain umpires… but when you see decision after decision, then it raises the question.”
While he stopped short of confirming whether the West Indies would file a formal complaint, he said the team is looking for clarity, especially with Holdstock set to officiate in the remainder of the series. “You don’t want to be going into a Test match not trusting the umpires. That’s not what our team is about.”
Regarding Chase’s dismissal, which broke a promising 67-run stand with Hope just after lunch, Sammy insisted the ball had deviated onto the pad, suggesting a likely inside edge. He also compared Hope’s dismissal to an earlier incident involving Travis Head, whose catch was ruled not out despite appearing similar. “If you see the same thing and one is not out, there is even more doubt on the other one than you give it out,” Sammy added.
Australian players have also expressed concern over the accuracy of the review system. Mitchell Starc, speaking after play, noted, “It sort of felt like, or looked like, that the Snicko and the images were out of sync to some capacity.” He cited the first-over lbw review against Chase that was turned down despite seemingly clear visuals.
While calling for fairness, Sammy reminded his players to avoid direct criticism of officials. “We know the rules. We know fines going all across the board,” he said. “Yes, we’re kind of shooting ourselves in the foot by dropping so many catches, but… look at the Test match—us against our own selves, some of these decisions—and we’re still in a position to win.”
As the Test remains delicately poised, the scrutiny of officiating standards and the application of technology has once again taken center stage in international cricket.