Mumbai, Jan. 31: India has once again chosen not to employ the Umpires Decision Review System for the upcoming home series against South Africa.
According to board sources, former South Africa wicketkeeper and ICC general manager (cricket) David Richardson was prepared to come down to India to explain how the referral system could be put in place, but the Board of Control for Cricket in India and Cricket South Africa mutually agreed not to use it for the series.The UDRS is presently being implemented on a series-by-series basis and is yet to be tried in India, even though the ICC approved it in June last year. The BCCI had refused to enforce the system when it was first put to vote, questioning it’s effectiveness. The boards opposed to the system also want the ICC to foot the bill for the technology needed to implement it. As of now, the system has evoked mixed reactions with some players and officials reckoning that it undermines the on-field umpire’s authority. Under the system, players can challenge close calls — a side can twice challenge an umpire’s decision which is referred to the third umpire for adjudication.Interestingly, South Africa used the system in the home Test series against England — which ended in a 1-1 draw — after initially opposing it along with India.Their two Tests in India at Nagpur (Feb. 6 to 10) and Kolkata (Feb. 14 to 18) will be supervised by England’s Ian Gould and Australia’s Steve Davis. The match-referee for both Tests is Andy Pycroft of Zimbabwe.BIPIN DANI