India Objects To Use of Cricket Council's DRS System

The Int'l Cricket Council's plan to make the Decision Review System mandatory for all Tests and One Day Internationals "has fallen flat with the all powerful Board of Control for Cricket in India scuppering it totally," according to K.R. Nayar of the GULF NEWS. At a board meeting in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, the ICC said that "DRS is now foolproof with the technology enhancements provided by new hotspot cameras" and the results of independent research. India, "the sole objector," and its cricket board "refused to accept its use" (GULF NEWS, 6/28). REUTERS' Sudipto Ganguly reported that the BCCI, which has always been skeptical of the technology used in the DRS, still believes that "the system is not foolproof." BCCI Secretary Sanjay Jagdale said, "The board also sticks to its view that the decision on whether or not to use the DRS for a particular series should be left to the boards involved in that series" (REUTERS, 6/27). The BBC reported that former England captain Michael Vaughan urged the ICC to "take a firm stance with India over mandatory video technology." On BBC Radio 5 live's Tuffers and Vaughan Cricket Show, Vaughn said, "The ICC has to show authority and say to India 'this is happening, get used to it'" (BBC, 6/27). The AFP reported that India, which provides the "lion's share of global cricket revenues" due to their huge fan-base, "torpedoed a similar bid for mandatory DRS at last year's annual ICC talks," where it was "controversially made optional" (AFP, 6/27).

INDIA CRITICIZED: The WALL STREET JOURNAL's Will Davies reported on the India Real Time blog that former England captain Tony Greig said, "The BCCI controls enough votes to block any proposal put forward at the ICC board meetings. The reason for this is some countries would not survive without the financial opportunities India provides." He added, "It's a sorry state of affairs and very frustrating for those who give so much time to getting things right. Most of the existing problems can be solved by India if it embraces the spirit of cricket and leads for world cricket, not just for India." Other criticism aimed at India included its "apparent indifference" to Test cricket and its "leaden-footed stand on important issues" such as the DRS, the overcrowded int'l calender, anti-doping rules and rumored "corruption in the Indian Premier League" (WALL STREET JOURNAL, 6/27).

LIFETIME BAN: Meanwhile, cricket chiefs called for a "global lifetime ban" for Pakistan leg-spinner Danish Kaneria after he was punished for his role in an English spot-fixing scandal. The ICC board said that domestic bodies "should recognise and respect the sanctions" as well as enforcing them "within their own jurisdictions to the fullest extent permitted by law." English authorities banned Kaneria for life for his involvement in the Mervyn Westfield spot-fixing case. The 31-year-old Pakistani vowed to appeal the sanction (AFP, 6/27).