“I do not think much of a man who is not wiser today than he was yesterday.” – Abraham Lincoln
If one were attempting to explain BCCI’s aversion towards the Decision Review System (DRS), then there is no need to look further than the former US President’s iconic quote. At a time when even financially challenged cricket boards are making earnest efforts to use technology and reduce the pressure on umpires, the most powerful organization is searching for reasons to do the opposite.
Admittedly, the DRS is not completely fool-proof and has had its fair share of controversies as well. However, the system needs every possible way to evolve, especially given that almost every single umpiring howler cannot go unnoticed in the modern era.
Let us go through five such instances when the absence of DRS stood in the way of Team India from taking control of key matches.
#5 – George Bailey’s glove in the 1st ODI against Australia at Perth, 2016
India were playing their opening international fixture in 2016 and things began promisingly with Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli powering them to a massive total in the first ODI against Australia on a seemingly flat Perth pitch.
Debutante left-arm seamer Barinder Sran had the Aussies on the mat with an impactful new-ball effort. The explosive duo of Aaron Finch and David Warner were sent back in quick succession without any trouble.
When an edgy George Bailey gloved a stifling delivery to MS Dhoni, the home team could have been 21/3 inside the first five overs with a fragile middle-order in the shed. But, the usually spot-on Richard Kettleborough did not raise his finger and Bailey teamed up with skipper Steve Smith to help his team cruise to the total with a century.
While the Tasmanian aggravated the Indian team’s frustration with his cheeky remarks, Dhoni still felt that DRS was not reliable and instead directed the blame on the umpire. In the end, the visitors would go down 1-4 in the ODI series. But, a victory in the first match might have set the tone for better returns.
#4 – Virat Kohli’s disbelief in the 2nd Test against South Africa at Durban, 2013
After a fiercely contested draw in Johannesburg, the series was at stake for both teams as the action shifted to Durban. Whilst the bowlers were under immense pressure for not rising to the occasion, a young Indian batting unit was shaping up nicely.
Having won the toss on a sluggish surface, India collapsed from 265/4 to 334 all out. Despite the retiring Jacques Kallis steering South Africa to a mammoth total in the first-innings, the threat of rain meant that the match was heading for a draw.
When play began on the final day, the Indians were 98 runs adrift with eight wickets intact. Virat Kohli and Cheteshwar Pujara who had put together 222 runs in the previous Test were eager to take the tourists to safety, once again. But, Kohli was adjudged caught behind even though it was clear that the ball had brushed only his shoulder. The in-form batsman was engulfed in shock that it took a while before he trudged off.
The hosts overcame a defiant knock from Ajinkya Rahane and took the series 1-0. As for Dhoni’s team, the outcome was far from ideal given the fact that a drawn series would have been a massive boost with quite a few away tours to follow.
#3 – Ajinkya Rahane’s inside-edge in the 1st Test against New Zealand at Auckland, 2014
The word Ajinkya means ‘unconquerable’ in Marathi. However, there have been numerous times when the technically correct Rahane was ‘conquered’ by umpiring howlers. One of those came when his team were going after a daunting chase in the fourth-innings of an away Test.
In response to New Zealand’s 500-plus total, the Indians were shot out for a paltry 202. When defeat looked like a formality, the seamers suddenly shed their inhibitions and ripped the Kiwis apart to leave the batsman with a target of 407.
Riding on Shikhar Dhawan’s resolute hundred, the visitors were on the right track. But, two quick wickets pegged them back heavily. In walked Rahane, a man renowned for his unfazed temperament. The Mumbaikar was settling in nicely before an in-swinger from Trent Boult trapped him in front. Unaware of a huge inside-edge on to the pad, the umpire terminated his stay at the crease.
Though Dhoni and Ravindra Jadeja continued to chip away rapidly, New Zealand emerged victorious by just 40 runs. Meanwhile, Rahane would go on to score his first Test century in the very next match as a mentally shot Indian team let Kiwi skipper Brendon McCullum walk away with a 1-0 series win.
#2 – Dinesh Chandimal‘s series of reprieves in the 1st Test against Sri Lanka at Galle, 2015
India arrived in Sri Lanka under an aggressive leader who was seeking to stamp his authority on the Test team. After a sequence of testing trips outside the subcontinent, spin-friendly pitches finally lay in wait.
Ravichandran Ashwin immediately unleashed himself upon the Lankan batting order. Virat Kohli led from the front alongside Dhawan as India took a hefty first-innings lead to set things up.
When rival skipper Angelo Mathews perished to leave Sri Lanka reeling in what was effectively – 97/5, Kohli had his collar up. But, Dinesh Chandimal stole the limelight with an audacious counter-attack. Before he could cross 10, the right-hander survived a straight-forward edge off Ashwin as well as another close-in catch to leave the Indians seething.
Chandimal’s career-making 162 was followed by a seven wicket-haul from the wily Rangana Herath as the hosts pulled the rug under their opposition’s feet. Though India won the next two Tests comfortably to clinch the series 2-1, the possibility of completing a rare whitewash away from home disgruntled Kohli who proceeded to publicly state the need to discuss about the merits of DRS.
#1 – Rahane‘s jinx continues in the 1st Test against Australia at Adelaide, 2014
Very few teams come to Australia and push for victory from the very first match itself. However, India decided to put themselves in the unlikely position after Australia made a daring declaration in the fifth day.
The Adelaide surface was having enough blemishes for off-spinner Nathan Lyon to come to the party. Not only the players, even the umpires were now up against a different challenge. Without DRS to bail out umpires, the situation was poised for disaster – The only question being which one of the teams would be on the receiving end.
Showing their intent to go for the win, Murali Vijay and first-time skipper Kohli batted with supreme skill to place the visitors on the precipice. After the opener succumbed to the nervous nineties phase, Rahane had to suffer yet another umpiring blunder when he was dismissed caught off Lyon though there was a huge gap between bat and pad.
From 242/2, India were bowled out for 315, just 48 runs short of the target. Kohli‘s twin tons ended in vain as the Aussies swung with the momentum to end up 2-0 victors in the 4-match series.
Brand-new app in a brand-new avatar! Download CricRocket for fast cricket scores, rocket flicks, super notifications and much more! 🚀☄️
