BCCI may be forced to accept DRS

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The Indian board (BCCI) may be forced to give in to ICC's persistent demand to accept the Decision Review System (DRS) system. The issue will be debated yet again at ICC's meeting which starts from June 23, and indications are that the world body may make DRS a compulsory rule as majority of the Test playing nations are in favour of it.

"We have to accept DRS at some point as all Test playing nations except India are in favour of it. Out of 10 Test playing nations, nine are in favour of DRS and you need seven votes to make it a compulsory rule," Punjab Cricket Association president IS Bindra, who has been the principal advisor to the ICC, told TOI on Wednesday.

According to ICC sources, Indian cricketer Anil Kumble -- who is heading ICC's cricket committee -- has been staging a lone battle so far on this thorny issue. Sources said even Kumble is now finding it difficult to oppose the DRS. "Informally, he has spoken about how it is getting increasingly difficult for him as the chairman of the cricket committee to oppose the rule when all the cricket playing nations are united in its favour. In public, he is against DRS," a source told TOI on Wednesday.

With N Srinivasan, who has always resisted the DRS, not at the helm of affairs in BCCI, the ICC is hoping to finally resolve the issue by making it a rule. DRS is a must in all ICC events as the world body is convinced that it minimizes human error. "We need to make a few adjustments to Hawkeye and I am sure technology can be used. You can't avoid this for long," another BCCI member, who didn't wish to be named, said, echoing Bindra's sentiments.

Jagmohan Dalmiya, the interim BCCI president, refused to reveal anything and merely said: "It's too early to talk about it."

According to sources, when Dalmiya was asked at the last emergent working committee in Delhi by the members as to who would attend the ICC meetings, the Cricket Association of Bengal boss had said he would need some time to take a decision on it. If Srinivasan is allowed to represent India in ICC meetings, his obvious stand would be to oppose the DRS. "When other sports like tennis are using technology successfully to minimize errors by umpires, we should also accept DRS," another BCCI member said.

So why is BCCI still refusing to accept DRS in bilateral series? "Nobody is slaughtered or massacred if DRS rule is used as the technology is only helping the game. Did you see how Rohit Sharma was given out on Tuesday? No umpire could have ruled it out," a prominent BCCI official said.

BCCI had also said earlier that technology was expensive and some companies were monopolising the market. Ironically, this came from a body which is the richest in the world and itself has a monopoly on the game in India.

Sources said that the appreciation for DRS in India is so high that even Ranji captains and coaches want it in domestic cricket. "Srinivasan opposed and gave us a lecture on how it was not a fool-proof arrangement," a Ranji captain, who attended the coach and captain's conclave in 2012, said.



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