Why BCCI is still opposed to UDRS?

In case you are still puzzled as to why the Board of control for cricket in India (BCCI) does not want the Umpire Decision Review System (UDRS), here are the possible...

In case you are still puzzled as to why the Board of control for cricket in India (BCCI) does not want the Umpire Decision Review System (UDRS), here are the possible...

Cost factor
Hot Spot and Snicko cost close to 57,000 USD per day. If UDRS ensures there are no bad decisions, why have limitations in referrals, feels a board official.


Mahendra Singh Dhoni (second from right) asks for a UDRS review.
The umpire's decision went in favour of England's Ian Bell (right)
during the recent World Cup 2011 match at the M Chinnaswamy
Stadium in Bangalore. Pic/AFP

Not impressed
Last December, N Srinivasan and BCCI's umpire sub-committee director, S Venkataraghavan travelled to Australia to watch the Ashes to scrutinise the system.u00a0 They were not convinced. ICC also made a presentation -- arguing that UDRS had increased accuracy of lbw decisions. This was also squashed by BCCI. They were not willing to change their stance.

Bell incident rings
The predictive element of Hawk-Eye's ballu00a0 tracking has caused players to oppose it further. MS Dhoni's objection seems to centre on a decision that went against India in the World Cup when England's Ian Bell survived a leg before appeal that Hawk Eye deemed as plumb. However, Bell survived because he was too far down the pitch. "Adulteration is quite bad, whether it is natural or technology. I think the adulteration of technology with human intention was the reason why we didn't get that wicket," said Dhoni.

He couldn't accept that the 2.5 metre ruling (in distance between impact and stumps) was in place because it represented the point beyond which even Hawk-Eye's technicians know its margin of error is too great to be reliable. Horses for courses, perhaps?

Big stars
Seniors Sachin Tendulkar and Dhoni publicly opposed the system. If they change their opinion, BCCI could be forced to accept the system. Tendulkar has maintained this all along -- that Hot Spot and Snicko is
needed.

There is nothing new or unique in what he has said. It must be noted that it is the Hot Spot and Snicko that are expensive to integrate. "I am not fully convinced with the referral system (UDRS). When I was here last time I was not convinced with many decisions. I did not feel comfortable, it was an experiment which I felt.
"I would rather go with the Hot Spot because that establishes the contact between the bat and the bowl. The Hot Spot is much better," Tendulkar said in Colombo during the 2010 series against the Islanders.

Not a priority
There hasn't been a single meeting between players and board with regards to UDRS since Anil Kumble and Co returned from Sri Lanka in 2008.
After that tour, players met the board and pointed out flaws in the system. Since then, there hasn't been a formal discussion, it is reliably learnt. That's a clear indicator that there isn't any urgency by the board to accept the
system.