India have rejected the use of UDRS for the four-match series starting on July 21 at Lord's, saying the technology is not fool-proof. As per the International Cricket Council's regulations, UDRS can be implemented in a bilateral series only after the consent of the two boards. "I don't know if it's a distrust of technology or a bit of kidology on their part," said Swann. "If they don't want to do it, fair enough.
India was hard done during the World Cup match against England when the whole jing-bang lot of technology ruled Ian Bell plumb out, leg before wicket. But surprisingly, the final decision was once again lobbed back to the field umpire who ruled the batsman not out. The reason: he had come down 2.5 meters or more. What happened twice thereafter, surprised everyone even more. Two other batsmen were given out lbw even though they had come down almost 3 meters.
Five days after the Ian Bell not out decision, Zimbabwe captain Elton Chigumbura was given out by umpire Erasmus even though the Hawkeye technology showed the point of impact being well over 2.5 meters from the line of the stumps. Then Billy Bowden was again standing in India's match against Ireland, Australian umpire Rod Tucker at the other end, overturned his own decision of "not-out" in a review to rule Irish batsman Alex Cusack "out" leg before wicket to Yuvraj Singh.
The question to ask is: When it knew that it did not have the facilities of hot-shot, which is closest to perfection with its X-ray imaging, and the Snickometer, which graphs the sound of timber, why did the ICC decide to implement the DRS in World Cup matches?
Now, if there is a law on 2.5 meters, where is it? If there is, then the two umpires who adjudged Chigumbura and Cusasck out are ignorant of its existence.
Most of the confusion can be avoided if you allow technology to prevail over the on-field decision. If the issue is taken out of the hands of the umpire and referred to technology, it should not be sent back to the umpire. After all, it is his decision that is being challenged by either that batting or the fielding side, Fair enough?
