Bloopers during Ashes vindicate India's stand on DRS: Shastri

Sep 06, 2013

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Mumbai: Former all-rounder Ravi Shastri feels India's consistent stand against the controversial Decision Review System (DRS) has been vindicated by the spate of wrong decisions during the recent Ashes series in England.
"India's stand on DRS is vindicated. Three years ago when I opposed DRS, it was said I had a contract with the BCCI. I stand by even now what I said then," said Shastri, delivering the annual Dilip Sardesai Memorial Lecture today at the Bombay Gymkhana here.
Shastri said he was not opposed to technology, but wanted it to be used sparingly, as it is not perfect. "You can use technology sparingly like in tennis where there are only three referrals. If a player is inconsistent, or an umpire is inconsistent, they are dropped. Why is this not applied to technology?" said the 51-year-old ex-cricketer.
Instead of the host cricket board paying for use of technological instruments like the costly Hotspot and Hawk Eye, the ICC should find sponsors to underwrite their use, he said.
"DRS is also against the spirit of the game which teaches the player not to question an umpiring decision. I know what our players think about technology, what works and what doesn't," added Shastri.
He also came out in full support of the beleaguered BCCI, which is facing a lot of flak in the aftermath of the spot-fixing scandal that rocked this year's IPL. He also praised former presidents Sharad Pawar and Shashank Manohar as well as embattled incumbent N Srinivasan as excellent administrators.
"Administration is a different ball game (to playing or comnmentating). Indian cricket has consistently ranked in the top three in all formats over the last ten years. See the state of other sports administered in India," he said.
He dismissed the "conflict of interest" charge against BCCI president Srinivasan who owns IPL team Chennai Super Kings. "There is conflict in all walks of life. And no player is complaining about the Board," he retorted when asked about this much-debated issue.

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