Indian board still opposed to DRS

NEW DELHI // The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) does not think the ball-tracking technology used in the Decision Review System (DRS) is reliable enough and remained opposed to its mandatory use.

The International Cricket Council (ICC) has recommended the mandatory use of DRS, under which teams can make two unsuccessful appeals against an umpire's decision per innings, in all formats of the game.

"The BCCI would like to reiterate that it does not accept the reliability of the ball-tracking technology, which is an integral part of the DRS," N Srinivasan, the BCCI secretary, said in a statement. "The BCCI's position has been consistent."

Srinivasan had in May said that the world's richest and most powerful cricket board would oppose DRS's mandatory use in all international matches when the topic is discussed at the ICC's June 26-30 meeting in Hong Kong.

"Look, we don't have any problems with the Snickometer or Hot Spot and we have informed this to the ICC. But the Hawk Eye is yet to convince us. This technology is based on assumption," Srinivasan told the Indian Express newspaper yesterday.

The Snickometer is used to detect the ball catching an edge, while Hot Spot gives a more convincing indication of the ball's point of contact. Hawk Eye technology, which is used more often, replicates the ball's trajectory.

"Nothing much has changed since we first opposed it. We welcome technology when it is 100 per cent error free," said Srinivasan, also the board's president-elect. "In this case it is not, so we would continue to oppose."

The board's resistance has meant DRS will not be used in India's tour of England starting next month.

* Reuters