Former officials, umpires believe the Indian board must be more receptive to ICC's recommendation of making the Decision Review System mandatory
Hours after the International Cricket Council’s (ICC) Chief Executive Committee recommended, among other things, that Decision Review System (DRS) be mandatory for all Tests and ODIs subject to the members’ ability to finance and obtain the required technology, the BCCI dashed out a press release opposing the technology. “The BCCI continues to believe that the system is not foolproof. The Board also sticks to its view that the decision on whether or not to use the DRS for a particular series should be left to the Boards involved in that series,” said BCCI secretary Sanjay Jagdale in a statement.
Indian skipper MS Dhoni (second from right) asks for a review during the World Cup 2011 match against England. Pic/AFP
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Reluctance
However, the Indian cricket board’s reluctance to use the controversial DRS is not going down well with its own men. Former secretary of the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) Jaywant Lele felt the Indian board’s stand is not justified.
“I understand that the technology is not foolproof. There will be some errors in everything. But overall the technology has helped in reducing those errors. The BCCI should learn to tolerate a bit,” Lele told MiD DAY from Baroda.
According to an ICC release, the CEC, during its two-day meeting over the weekend in Kuala Lumpur, was satisfied with the technology enhancements provided by new Hotspot cameras and the results of the research conducted by computer vision technology expert Dr Ed Rosten. Dr Rosten tested the accuracy and reliability of ball tracking in a recent Test series and concluded that the results were “100 per cent in agreement with the outcomes produced” from his assessments.
Former international umpire Piloo Reporter also backed the ICC’s suggestion and claimed that there was no harm in accepting the technology even if it has its drawbacks. “There will always be advantages and disadvantages. We have to look at the overall picture and make the best decision for the game. There is no harm in keeping the DRS if it is helping the game. There will always be some reluctance. It was there even when the third umpire was introduced (in 1992),” said Reporter.
However, Anshuman Gaekwad, who served India as batsman and then coach, said the ICC must be wary of the game becoming over-dependent on technology. “Cricket was played well even when there was no technology. If the ICC is making it mandatory, then there should be no option given to boards over the use of it. At the same time they (ICC) must ensure the technology does not have glaring errors like we have seen in the past,” said Gaekwad.u00a0
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