AV Jayaprakash backs Sachin Tendulkar on ‘Umpire’s Call’; says LBW decisions shouldn’t have DRS

By Aprameya C | First Published Jul 12, 2020, 2:14 PM IST

Former Test umpire AV Jayaprakash has called for LBW decisions to be made by the on-field umpires. He also opposed 'Umpire's Call'. Sachin Tendulkar too had told Brian Lara that 'Umpire's Call' is not right for LBW verdicts

Bengaluru: Former Test umpire AV Jayaprakash said all LBW decisions should be made by the on-field umpire and added that he doesn’t support the “Umpire’s Call” in Decision Review System (DRS).

The “Umpire’s Call” is back in focus after batting legend Sachin Tendulkar voiced his opinion against it. Now, Jayaprakash too is not in favour of it.

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When asked whether too much use of technology is good or bad for the game, Jayaprakash went with the latter.

“Personally, I feel too much technology is bad for the game. And, who is applying the technology? It is humans. Behind every technology, there is a human being. There too, mistakes can happen. I don't say don't use technology, but it should be restricted,” Jayaprakash told Asianet Newsable.

The 71-year-old, who stood in 13 Tests and 38 ODIs, said all LBW decisions should be made on the field and should not be at the mercy of technology. He also opposed the ‘Umpire’s Call’.

What % of the ball hits the stumps doesn’t matter, if DRS shows us that the ball is hitting the stumps, it should be given out, regardless of the on-field call. That's the motive of using technology in Cricket. As we know technology isn’t 100% right but neither are humans. pic.twitter.com/8At80AtRs5

— Sachin Tendulkar (@sachin_rt)

“The LBW decisions, they have to leave it to the on-field umpires. I don’t accept ‘Umpire’s Call’. According to me, the ball hitting the stumps is out (LBW), whether it is half, 3/4 or any part of the ball. I am very, very clear about this. The law/rule says, the ball hitting the stumps is out (LBW). So, where is the ‘Umpire’s Call’ coming from? I don’t understand and don’t know who started this,” Jayaprakash explained.

Further, Jayaprakash, who played first-class cricket for Karnataka, said no cricketer is happy with LBW decisions and often umpires are blamed.

“There is no cricketer who accepts LBW decisions. The leg-before decisions are always questionable for them. They will watch the replays 10-15 times. Not only cricketers, even a housewife, a vegetable vendor or any other cricket fan for that matter, will dispute LBW calls against a top-order batsman but if it is a tailender they don't question. If we (umpires) give a top batsman out, they say umpires are wrong but if it is a lower order batsman then we are right (with respect to LBWs),” he said.

Tendulkar, while talking to former West Indies captain Brian Lara, said he doesn’t agree with ‘Umpire’s Call’.

“One thing I don’t agree with, with the ICC, is the DRS they’ve been using for quite some time. It is the LBW decision where more than 50% of the ball must be hitting the stumps for the on-field decision to be overturned. The only reason they (the batsman or the bowler) have gone upstairs is because they are unhappy with the on-field decision, so when the decision goes to the third umpire, let the technology take over; just like in Tennis – it’s either in or out, there’s nothing in between,” Tendulkar said.

What is ‘Umpire’s Call’?

Umpire’s Call is the concept within the DRS under which the on-field decision of the bowler’s end umpire shall stand, where the ball-tracking technology indicates a marginal decision in respect of either the Impact Zone or the Wicket Zone. According to Umpire’s Call more than 50% of the ball has to hit the stumps, excluding the bails, as per the ball-tracking technology. If it is an ‘Umpire’s Call’, teams don’t lose their review.

“For a Not Out decision to be overturned, more than half the ball now has to be impacting the pad within a zone bordered by the outside of off and leg stumps (formerly the centre of off and leg stumps), and the ball needs to be hitting the stumps within a zone bordered by the outside of off and leg stumps and the bottom of the bails (formerly the centre of off and leg stumps, and the bottom of the bails),” the International Cricket Council (ICC) had said in 2016.

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