Controversies That Rocked Cricket in 2025

The Lord’s Test featuring India and England produced one of the most talked-about umpiring debates of the year. On Day Four, with India chasing 193, on-field umpire Paul Reiffel gave Shubman Gill out caught behind off Brydon Carse. Gill immediately reviewed, confident that he had not touched the ball. Ultra Edge confirmed a clear gap between bat and ball, leading to the decision being overturned.

Earlier in the same session, Mohammed Siraj appealed strongly for an LBW against Joe Root. Reiffel turned it down. Ball tracking later showed the delivery clipping leg stump, meaning the decision remained umpire’s call and Root survived. Former cricketers, including Sunil Gavaskar and Jonathan Trott, openly questioned the accuracy of the tracking.

Indian fans felt a pattern was forming, with marginal calls rarely going their way and incorrect decisions needing DRS to be fixed. The comparison to Steve Bucknor came from frustration rather than proof of bias, but the perception damage was real.

West Indies outrage in the Barbados Test against Australia

The first Test in Barbados between West Indies and Australia became less about the cricket and more about accountability. Australia won the match by 159 runs, but the West Indies camp believed umpiring decisions played a decisive role. Captain Roston Chase and head coach Daren Sammy were unusually vocal in their criticism.

One major flashpoint was Chase being given LBW by third umpire Adrian Holdstock, despite replays suggesting a possible inside edge before pad impact. Another was Shai Hope being ruled caught behind by Alex Carey, even though there were doubts about whether the ball had been grounded.

Chase argued that players are penalised heavily for mistakes, while umpires face no visible consequences for incorrect decisions. Sammy escalated the matter by meeting the match referee Javagal Srinath to demand consistency. While their comments risked ICC sanctions, the frustration reflected a deeper issue about trust in officiating.

Fakhar Zaman dismissal against India in the Asia Cup

The Asia Cup Super Four match between India and Pakistan in Dubai saw another low catch controversy. Fakhar Zaman was promoted to open and started aggressively. In the third over, a slower delivery from Hardik Pandya resulted in a thin edge that carried low to Sanju Samson.

The on-field umpires referred the decision to TV umpire Ruchira Palliyaguruge, who ruled the catch clean after reviewing multiple angles. Zaman walked off, visibly unhappy. Pakistan captain Salman Ali Agha later suggested the decision might have been wrong, while former fast bowler Shoaib Akhtar slammed the officiating on social media.

The issue was not that the decision was clearly wrong or right. The problem was inconsistency. Similar low catches in other matches had gone the opposite way, leaving teams unsure what standard was being applied.

Pakistan vs Oman strike rotation blunder

Unlike most controversies, the Asia Cup match between Pakistan and Oman featured an error with no interpretation involved. In the tenth over, Sufyan Mehmood bowled a dot ball to Sahibzada Farhan. That meant Mohammad Haris should have faced the first ball of the next over.

Umpires Masudur Rahman and Ahmad Shah Pakteen called for drinks. After the break, Farhan incorrectly took strike and even scored a single off Aamir Kaleem. Neither umpire intervened.

This was not a judgment call or a technology issue. It was a failure of basic match control. In a tournament as significant as the Asia Cup, such lapses raised serious concerns about focus and preparation among officials.

Ashes controversy involving Marnus Labuschagne

The fourth Ashes Test at Melbourne produced another talking point when Marnus Labuschagne was dismissed via a low slip catch by Joe Root off Josh Tongue. Labuschagne did not walk, prompting the on field umpire to send the decision upstairs.

The third umpire ruled that Root had his fingers under the ball and gave it out. Replays were inconclusive, with some angles suggesting the ball may have brushed the turf. Australia felt hard done by, while England argued that the laws had been applied correctly.

This dismissal reignited debate about whether the benefit of doubt should favour the batter in low catches. It also highlighted how often modern decisions hinge on incomplete visual evidence.

The umpiring controversies of 2025 exposed a growing gap between cricket’s laws, its technology, and the expectations of players and fans. DRS corrected several errors, but its frequent use also revealed declining confidence in on-field decision-making. Players demanded accountability, fans demanded consistency, and former cricketers demanded transparency.

Not every controversial decision was wrong, and not every complaint was justified. However, the accumulation of high-impact moments going to reviews or sparking outrage made one thing clear. Cricket can no longer rely on silence and protocol to maintain trust. Until officiating standards, communication, and accountability evolve together, umpiring will remain as central to the narrative as the cricket itself.