10 March,2011 06:52 AM IST | | Sai Mohan
Is the Umpire Decision Review System (UDRS) becoming a bad habit?
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Yesterday, Gautam Gambhir hesitated to walk back despite being bowled around his pads. Last week, Mahela Jayawardene stayed put at the crease despite edging one to the wicketkeeper. These instances are multiplying quickly. Previously, these batsmen would have walked off immediately. Now, with the influx of technology, the thought of 'surviving' has crept into the back of their minds. A straightforward dismissal is now being looked at subjectively, calls for an umpire referral. Wasn't the UDRS just for contentious calls? Are batsmen getting pampered by technology?
"The UDRS is still at a premature stage," South African batting great Barry Richards told MiD DAY. "It needs to evolve completely. Yes, the players are definitely not taking the umpire's word as the final one ufffd that has brought about a new dimension into cricket. It'll be interesting to see how players respond to it in the near future. Players need to be honest with each other and accept the fair decisions.
"The other day it was refreshing to see Jacques Kallis walk after checking with the 'keeper if he took the catch cleanly.
"We can't keep going upstairs for every other dismissal, it will slow the game down enormously."
Legendary English umpire Dickie Bird reckons the on-field umpires will become 'puppets' very soon. "Why have on-field umpires? They are taking the authority away from on-field umpires. I am afraid that some of the umpires could lose confidence if decisions are overturned. We've played cricket for more than a 100 years without technology. It's getting out of hand," Bird told MiD DAY from England.
"And yes, the players are indeed getting too used to it. It is not good for the game," he added. However, India skipper MS Dhoni reckons the UDRS gives the on-field umpire an edge, and not the players. "UDRS is more in favour of the umpire's original decision, instead of making the exact decision. It has different parameters... when an umpire has given out - the ball just needs to clip the stumps. But if an umpire hasn't given out, and if a review is taken, then the ball has to hit the middle of the off-stump or leg-stump," he told reporters after his side's win last night.
Former captain Kapil Dev has called UDRS 'unethical'. "I would like to ask the ICC that if I have given someone out and you refer it to the third umpire and the third umpire refers it back to me, how can I change my decision? It shouldn't come back to me. You are insulting the person concerned," he said recently.
