The Hot Spot infrared technology was shown to be unreliable during the 2013 Ashes, failing to detect clear edges and undermining confidence in DRS.
The 2013 Ashes series exposed significant flaws in the Hot Spot infrared technology used as part of the DRS system. Hot Spot uses infrared cameras to detect the heat generated by friction when the ball hits the bat. But during the series, it repeatedly failed to show edges that were clearly visible on regular camera replays and audible on audio.
The most notable failure involved edges off thick bats that simply didn't register on Hot Spot. The silicone-based tape that some batsmen applied to their bat edges — ostensibly for protection — was suspected of dampening the heat signature and making edges invisible to Hot Spot.
Shane Warne, working as a commentator, was vocal in his criticism, calling Hot Spot "a waste of time" and questioning why the ICC was relying on technology that could be beaten by a piece of tape.
The controversy led to a significant reassessment of DRS technology. Hot Spot was eventually phased out and replaced by the more reliable UltraEdge system, which uses audio rather than infrared to detect edges. The 2013 Ashes effectively killed Hot Spot as a viable DRS tool.
Hot Spot was shown to be unreliable. It was eventually replaced by UltraEdge technology. The series accelerated the evolution of DRS.
Gujarat Titans vs Rajasthan Royals
29 May 2026
The Qualifier 2 toss between Gujarat Titans and Rajasthan Royals at Mullanpur had to be conducted twice after match referee Prakash Bhatt failed to hear Riyan Parag's call — a visible frustration for Shubman Gill who appeared to have won the original toss before the do-over.
Lucknow Super Giants vs Kolkata Knight Riders
26 April 2026
Kartik Tyagi bowled two beamers in the final over of LSG's chase but was allowed to continue — umpires called only one dangerous — sparking IPL fury.
Various county and representative sides
1864-06-01
The legalisation of overarm bowling in 1864 created an immediate grey zone: how high could the arm go, and at what point did a fast delivery become an illegal throw? Through the 1860s English cricket struggled with this question as a succession of fast bowlers developed actions that umpires suspected but rarely no-balled, creating a climate of suspicion that would recur in every generation of cricket thereafter.