Michael Vaughan responds after Hawk-Eye creator slams former England captain's comments on technology

Paul Hawkins, the creator of Hawk-Eye, is not too satisfied with Michael Vaughan’s comments on the technology during the ongoing Test series between India and England. The former England captain spoke out against Joe Root’s dismissal during the second innings of the fourth Test match in Ranchi.

Root, who returned to form with a sparkling ton in the first innings of the match, was dismissed LBW off Ravichandran Ashwin’s delivery for 11 runs. The on-field umpire ruled it not out, but he had to change this decision after India took a successful DRS (Decision Review System). However, the dismissal sparked controversy after Hawk-Eye displayed the pitching line.

The DRS and umpire calls have been under the scanner in the recent years. A number of former cricketers and critics have asked for more transparency and consistency regarding the technology.

Vaughan, who has often been very outspoken on X, formerly known as Twitter, was not too impressed by the technology and asked for greater transparency following Root’s dismissal .

“So here is a simple solution to help improve transparency and accountability: stick a camera and microphone in the truck so as that a decision is being made, we all know exactly what is going on, and how much humans are involved. You could argue that those running the technology in the truck are as important as the two standing umpires,” Vaughan said.

Hawkins was not too impressed with Vaughan’s comments and said his analysis lacked depth.

Speaking on the Analytics Podcast, Hawkins said that the comments were regrettable coming from Vaughan, who he acknowledged as a fantastic player. He said that he enjoyed watching him play, but also emphasized the importance of responsibility to the game, particularly in journalism.

“Perhaps a little bit more preparation in terms of his role as a journalist may help him explain what’s happening to the huge fan base of cricket so that what he writes is factually correct. In the same way as Hawk-Eye has an obligation to be factually correct, perhaps journalists do too,” he added.

Vaughan was quick to reply to Hawkins’ criticism with a post on social media platform.

“It’s quite straightforward… Display all decision-making processes from the trucks to ensure complete transparency. Show the fans at home precisely how your operation functions. That’s all I’ve requested. I eagerly anticipate seeing it in action during the next Test in India,” he wrote on X.

India have already sealed the series 3-1 and the final match will be played in Dharamsala.