Ind vs Aus 2019: The DRS controversy

India and BCCI took all the time in the world to give a thumbs up to the Decision Reviewing System. They were the last to accept it and involve its usage during its matches. In the test series between England and India in 2011, DRS was used. However, the hotspot gave controversial results owing to which it was criticised by BCCI and not used further. In the test match at Rajkot against England in 2016, India officially adopted DRS and since then it has proven out to be crucial on several junctures.

It makes use of several technologies like Snicko-meter, hotspot and ball-tracker to make sure that the errors made by the umpires could be corrected. However, it is also known to spark some controversies. One criticism of DRS over the years has been that it relies heavily on umpire's call. If the umpire has given the batsman not out and the ball is just kissing the stumps and not hitting them (less than 50% of the ball is hitting the stumps), then the batsman will be deemed not-out on the review. If the ball has indeed broken the stumps, then why should the batsman stay? This debate has gone forever. To solve this issue, the ICC made a law that if the decision is umpire's call, then the review will not be lost.

However, it requires a strong presence of mind on the part of the players to use their reviews. They can turn the game on its head at crucial stages in the game.

DRS has never failed to bring itself under scrutiny with its controversial decisions. Technology is supposed to make the work of players easier. However, it sometimes creates more confusion rather than solving the problem.

In the third and fourth ODI of the Paytm One-Day series between India and Australia, DRS proved why it cannot be trusted hundred per cent. In the second ODI, the ball-tracker suffered a technical glitch. The Australian skipper Aaron Finch got smashed on the pads while trying to work Kuldeep Yadav on the leg side and the umpire gave him out when India appealed. Finch, however, was dissatisfied and went for the review. Although the ball-tracker did show that Finch was out but there was some technical inaccuracy.

The tossed up delivery from Kuldeep Yadav was actually pitching in the line of the middle stump and was supposed to spin back into the right-hander. However, the ball-tracker showed that the ball was pitching on the leg and going on straight to hit the leg-stump. There was no confusion in anyone's mind that the visuals were inaccurate. Although Finch would have been out, either way, the use of technology came under scrutiny with this incident.

The previous controversy was not yet solved and another one popped up, this time in the fourth ODI of the series. Ashton Turner was playing well and then Yuzvendra Chahal threw the ball up wide outside off-stump and Turner missed it. Rishabh Pant, who had a forgettable day behind the stumps went for the appeal as he thought that the batsman had edged it. To test the edge, Snicko-meter was used. It showed disturbances when the ball passed the bat indicating that there was an edge. However, it showed murmurs when the ball was yet to reach the bat and also after when the ball was well past the bat. This was clearly another technical glitch and due to the lack of conclusive proof that the batsman had nicked it, the third umpire had to give it not-out.

If that was given out, India perhaps would have won that game. The Indian captain Virat Kohli also showed his dissatisfaction over the technology stating that it is giving inconsistent results.

Hence, with teams relying heavily on DRS, its use has come under the scanner with such major inaccuracies. It can almost decide the outcome of the game. So, it needs to be absolutely spot on with its technology and results. Moreover, sometimes, common sense must prevail over technology. So, relying completely on technology is not a good idea either.