England battered and bruised against India owing to suspicious DRS reviews – by Sunil Thenabadu
The accuracy of the Decision Review System (DRS) has been one of the major talking points in the ongoing IND vs ENG Test series. Visiting captain Ben Stokes had on a huge suspicion already questioned the accuracy of the technology of the DRS after suffering the biggest-ever defeat against India in Rajkot. Coming to Ranchi, the English camp was adamant to win but dealt with another shocker when former captain Joe Root was given out in the second innings on Sunday. leg before wicket to Ashwin.
England began their second essay with a 46-run lead but it turned out to be challenging for them to battle against India’s three prong spin attack of Jadeja, Kuladeep and Ravichandran Ashwin, the latter having produced a couple of early breakthroughs, removing Ben Duckett and Ollie Pope on consecutive deliveries. He further hurt England by removing Root when he was set to make a huge score but the way the dismissal unfolded, it has put the entire DRS system under the scanner.
It was the final delivery of the 17th over when Ashwin’s tossed-up delivery on the leg-stump line went past the inside edge to wrap Root on the front pad. Umpire Kumara Dharmasena wasn’t convinced as the delivery seemed to be pitching outside the leg stump, which was proved in the first frame when the decision was challenged by reviewing .However, Rohit Sharma & were confident enough to call for the DRS.
While Ultra Edge predicted no involvement of the bat, the ball-tracking reflected three reds, forcing Root to walk back. But what surprised the English camp was to the spot , the pitch of the ball. A major portion of the ball appeared to be pitching outside the leg-stumped but the technology considered it to be fair enough to rule Root lbw. The third television umpire too was shown in the initial frame that the ball was pitched slightly tilting to the leg. The manipulation of the technology is by an expert on computer ,not by the Television umpire as many would thing. Indian expertise on this subject could camouflage in these instances. After Root’s dismissal he and the authorities, team members were perusing the correctness of the decision on laptops in pavilion.
While the former was left horrified over his dismissal, another ex-England captain, Michael Vaughan, came up with a post on X, taking a dig at the technology.
“You can all make your own minds up,” wrote Vaughan, explaining the ball’s pitching zone after being released by the bowler.
Another similar manipulation was made when Indian opener Yashasvi Jaiswal and Rohit Sharma were chasing 192 to win with the wicket taking spin.A ball hurled by left armer Hartley to Jaiswal who tried to come two steps forward to drive missed the ball striking his pads. When the appeal was disallowed when it was reviewed by Stokes. The batsman too knew there was no bat was in a tense moment. In the first frame there was no traces of a nick which even the television umpire said there does not appear to have any nick wanted to see the ball tracking. But the second frame to the surprise of everyone including the batsman the DRS replay showed a slight nick again manipulated by the expert who assists the television umpire. This is another typical example of the decisions to be termed as bias. Hope these would be taken up by the International Cricket Conference authorities.
Sunil Thenabadu in Brisbane
e mail sthenabadu@hotmail.com
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