India vs England Test series to have full version of Decision Review System on a trial basis

In a massive decision that could have a significant impact on the series, the India-England five-match Test series will have the full version of the Decision Review System (DRS) on a trial basis in order to evaluate the progress made by the system. The complete version will include Hawkeye, Ultramotion cameras, Ultra-edge and additional cameras for reliable spin vision for the DRS.

The ICC General Manager of Cricket Geoff Allardice had met BCCI President Anurag Thakur, head coach Anil Kumble and MV Sridhar, and had made a presentation on the system prior to the start of the second India vs New Zealand ODI in New Delhi on Thursday. It seems like that session had a positive impact on the top brass of the BCCI.

It will now be interesting to see whether the system fully convinces India and if they start to use it on a more consistent basis. The BCCI has always shown a lot of reluctance towards the system, stating more than once they were not completely convinced with the technology.

India was among the first teams to use DRS way back in 2008, implementing the system for the first time during the India vs Sri Lanka Test series that year. But the board was not completely sure of using the system in that form at the time, and ever since then has been reluctant to put it to use.

Among the various technologies such as Hawk-Eye, Hot spot etc used as a part of the DRS, it is the first which has always been a cause of concern for the BCCI.

But with the Hawk-Eye having undergone a few changes, it will be interesting to see how it shapes up and whether the Indian board are convinced the reformed version of the technology.

DRS once again came under scrutiny during the 2011 World Cup, when a leg-before-decision involving England’s Ian Bell during the India vs England game in Bangalore was given not out after MS Dhoni reviewed it. The three parameters – the place where the ball had pitched, the impact and where the ball was hitting – were all red, yet the decision stayed with the on-field umpire, who had given it not out.

After India’s World Cup win in 2011, they travelled to England for a full-fledged tour and the system was used over there, but only for checking catches and not for leg-before decisions. That was the last time that a bilateral series involving India had the system in place.

Since the 2011 World Cup, the DRS has been in use in every major 50-over competition, and India have reaped its rewards on certain occasions in these events.