Sydney, January 24

India’s Mahendra Singh Dhoni knows the introduction of broadcast technology has enhanced the viewing experience for fans but the skipper has called for restraint after the overhead ‘Spidercam’ interfered with play in Saturday’s one-dayer against Australia.

Virat Kohli upper-cut John Hastings for a boundary in the 19th over of India’s innings but it was declared a dead-ball after hitting the camera. India managed to chase down a 331-run victory target to end their losing streak but Dhoni warned that such interference could affect the outcome of tight contests. “I am quite a traditional guy,” he said after the tourists avoided a whitewash by winning the fifth and final ODI.

He added: “Anything that disturbs the game of cricket I don’t like it. It all started right from the T20 where people would be like, ‘Why don’t you wear a mic?’, ‘Why don’t you wear a camera?’” Dhoni said the camera, which travels along cables and gives a bird’s eye view of the action, had to be used more carefully. “I always feel there is always a need for a balance. At the end of the day, it’s a spectators’ sport, people watching on television, but at the same time four runs can really matter. Especially when it’s a 310-320 game, those four runs can be crucial.”

Dhoni said there should be some form of penalty for Spidercam if it gets in the way. “Everyone gets penalised, why not have the same system for the Spidercam? Say, Okay if you get hit, $2,000 per hit,” he joked.