Following Australia captain’s harsh criticism on the Decision Review System (DRS) after the second day’s play of the Boxing Day Test against New Zealand, there emerged a fresh DRS drama on the third day at the Melbourne Cricket Ground (MCG).

On Saturday, New Zealand tailender Mitchell Santner survived a controversial caught-behind review. While the replay showed the ball took a slight touch of Santner’s batting gloves, which is considered a part of the bat according to the rulebook.

However, TV umpire Aleem Dar struck with on-field umpire Marais Erasmus, who had initially called it a not-out forcing the Australians to review it.

Video replays showed the sweatband attached to Santner’s gloves shaking upon contact with the ball and the Australians were also seen celebrating while the visuals of it played on the giant screen. But Dar did not seem convinced and the Kiwi spinner retained his wicket.

Former Australia captain Ricky Ponting criticised the decision and said, “That has been missed by the third umpire, absolutely as plain as day … if you can’t get that right, then you shouldn’t be doing it.”

“(The sweatband) clearly moves before it goes into the forearm guard. That in my opinion is conclusive evidence,” Ponting was quoted as saying by 7Cricket.

On Friday, Paine had expressed his discontentment after getting out by a controversial DRS decision and then seeing Ross Taylor getting saved by the TV Umpire at the fag end of the day.

The 35-year-old wicketkeeper-batsman was playing one of the best knocks of his Test career when Neil Wagner trapped him in front for LBW. Though the on-field umpire had given it a not-out, a successful DRS from the Kiwis overturned the decision.

t was highly unlikely for the ball, which pitched way outside off and hit Paine in the line, to cut in so sharply to hit the middle stump, as shown by the ball tracking. Some of the commentators echoed the same on-air with the ball shown dipping into the sticks.

On being asked about his dismissal in a post-match interview with broadcaster ABC, Paine said, “I thought from the length that it pitched, and the bloke bowling around the wicket, it’s pretty difficult to hit you in line, and hit the stumps.”

Paine was left dismissed once again when New Zealand batsman Taylor was saved by the DRS. The ball looked to be hitting the stumps but the tracking technology showed it going over.

“And then you get one late tonight which, the guy’s stuck on the crease, he’s hit really full and it’s going over, so it’s disappointing and it makes me angry,” said Paine.