UDRS: Why is India averse to it?

Every game has to change and modify according to times, and it would be foolish not to accept technology when it is available for the benefit of everyone. The Umpire Decision Review System (UDRS) by the International Cricket Council (ICC) was designed to do just that when it was trialled a couple of years ago and formally introduced in 2009. Proper use of this system would reduce umpiring errors. Yet, India is allergic to it.

More and more cricketing nations are getting used to the UDRS

For the Indian team was at its receiving end when it was first applied in a Test series against Sri Lanka, the team being unable to utilise it smartly enough, winning a solitary successful review, to Sri Lanka’s 11. Sri Lanka outwitted India, had more luck and gained out of it. Since then the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) has opposed it in all subsequent bilateral tournaments.

How much longer can India ignore the system when it is being adopted by more and more countries? Will the once-bitten-twice-shy principle work when the World Cup, which will see it being employed, is just a little more than three months away? Instead of facing the difficulty, running away from it is not a smart thing to do.

Cricket South Africa (CSA) wants to persuade the BCCI to look beyond its stubbornness and ego and agree to the UDRS for their tour of the rainbow nation in December.

“We have to persuade India because at the moment they don’t want it,” says CSA chief Gerald Majola.

Each team gets two chances per innings to challenge an out or a not out decision of the on-field umpire. Two unsuccessful reviews of a team would cancel any further reviews by that team. As such it becomes important to use the system smartly, and for that the team would have to get used to it, which is exactly what one of the superpowers of cricket is not doing.

BCCI’s dislike towards it is understandable but ignorance to it is not comprehendible. India cried fowl at a one-dayer in Sri Lanka only very recently when apparently they were at the receiving end of some tough decisions. UDRS would only make it better.

It will not only provide a flavour to cricketing contests but also prove to be better for the sport in terms of making things fairer. A couple of months ago the Federation of International Cricketers’ Association (FICA) stated its interest in making the rule compulsory by the ICC. South African captain Graeme Smith is right when he comments about how it should be applied unanimously.

“Technology is obviously an important way forward in cricket. It will be beneficial to the game and the players are behind. I think if the Umpire Decision Review System (UDRS) is going to be successful it needs to be implemented properly by the ICC and not on a 50/50 basis like we have seen so far.

“It must be used all of the time and not for selective series like we see now.” This coming from a team that has used it thrice in their last four series.

It remains to be seen whether the BCCI will look at the positives and analyse.