Umpiring standard going down, UDRS could be last option: Dhoni

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Keeping in mind the frequent umpiring errors during international cricket matches, India skipper Mahendra Singh Dhoni on Thursday batted for the implementation of the contentious and the much-debated Umpire Decision Review System (UDRS). More... Umpiring standard going down, UDRS could be last option: Dhoni November 11, 2010 A staunch critic of the Umpire Decision Review System (UDRS), Indian skipper Mahendra Singh Dhoni on Thursday did a volte-face and backed the controversial innovation saying that it would have to be used if the standard of umpiring keeps going down. The Indians were at the receiving end of some contentious umpiring calls in the opening Test against New Zealand in Ahmedabad, the most noticeable being VVS Laxman's doubtful leg before dismissal just nine runs short of a hundred in the second innings. Dhoni was critical of the standard of umpiring and called for some strong measures to check the mistakes. "The standard of umpiring has gone down and we need to have strong measures to improve that," Dhoni said. Dhoni, before the first Test, had expressed his unwillingness to support the system, saying he would not back it unless it is proved to be 100 per cent accurate. But on Thursday, while referring to Laxman's dismissal in the first Test at Motera, Dhoni said, "if the umpires continue to make wrong decisions, then it (ICC) would be left with no option but to go for the UDRS." "But, as I have said earlier, I am not going to buy a life jacket that doesn't come with a warranty," Dhoni reiterated. "At times you tend to make mistakes. The umpires are also most of the time thinking about over rates and player behaviour," he added. It must be noted that the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) and many senior Indian players are not in favour of implementing the referral system ever since their failed experiment during the tour of Sri Lanka in 2008. Virender Sehwag has been the only exception as the dashing India opener had earlier expressed his willingness for the UDRS. The International Cricket Council (ICC) has been trying in vain to convince the BCCI to implement the system during all international matches in the country. But they now might have to rethink their approach to the referral system.

[Guest BossBhai]

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[ZodiaC]

What measures he talking about? I thought he was okay with the sinking ship rather than using the warranty less life jacket? :dontknow:

[Sid]

Now Dhoni wants the umpiring standards to improve but still doesnt want UDRS,becoz acc. to him it doesnt give 100% guarantee,WTF is this man upto :wall:

[saneindian]

At least the thought process has started to change. Finally. Another few crap decisions and looks like we might have the UDRS in SA.

[cowboysfan]

i dont think umpiring standards have fallen.we now have technology to prove that a lot of them are blind nincompoops .

[achilles]

GPL hote hi sudhar gaye hum. Btw, is Sachin sulking already? :hmmm:

[Ram]

Dhoni has pretty much re-iterated what I've been saying for a looooooooong time. The solution to umpiring errors on the field is not less umpiring and more technology, its better umpiring. In all the craze and frenzy after the 2008 Sydney test, ICC felt they had to be at least seen to be doing something about the crisis and chose to tame the tiger by grabbing its head, rather than the tail. However, Dhoni's assertion that UDRS should not be used unless it is 100% accurate is wrong and misguided. This isnt a choice b/w using a fool-proof system or a flawed system, as Dhoni is making it out to be. This is a choice b/w the status quo, which is to give umpires all of the powers of decision making which leads to a lot of on-field errors (AND) a newer system, where there is an option of the umpire's decision being over-ridden with technology's help (UDRS). And quite clearly, the latter leads to significantly less errors and more importantly, avoids the kinds of controversies, even near diplomatic crisis, that are caused by umpiring errors. By continuing to skirt past the UDRS issue, we're clearly sending the world all sorts of wrong signals. We were the SOLE reason why the system was implemented in the first place. It was our outrage after the Sydney test that set in motion the events that ultimately led to this system. Of all people, we cannot be seen to be reluctant to accept it.

[fineleg]

. And quite clearly' date=' the latter leads to significantly less errors and more importantly, avoids the kinds of controversies, even near diplomatic crisis, that are caused by umpiring errors.[/quote'] Sriram, Finally! Finally, you are admitting that technology > charm

[coffee_rules]

He is hinting to the 'seniors' who are the ones opposing UDRS! Big 3 (It was 4 with Kumble) are the ones telling BCCI not to adopt.

[achilles]

Dhoni has pretty much re-iterated what I've been saying for a looooooooong time. The solution to umpiring errors on the field is not less umpiring and more technology, its better umpiring. In all the craze and frenzy after the 2008 Sydney test, ICC felt they had to be at least seen to be doing something about the crisis and chose to tame the tiger by grabbing its head, rather than the tail. However, Dhoni's assertion that UDRS should not be used unless it is 100% accurate is wrong and misguided. This isnt a choice b/w using a fool-proof system or a flawed system, as Dhoni is making it out to be. This is a choice b/w the status quo, which is to give umpires all of the powers of decision making which leads to a lot of on-field errors (AND) a newer system, where there is an option of the umpire's decision being over-ridden with technology's help (UDRS). And quite clearly, the latter leads to significantly less errors and more importantly, avoids the kinds of controversies, even near diplomatic crisis, that are caused by umpiring errors. By continuing to skirt past the UDRS issue, we're clearly sending the world all sorts of wrong signals. We were the SOLE reason why the system was implemented in the first place. It was our outrage after the Sydney test that set in motion the events that ultimately led to this system. Of all people, we cannot be seen to be reluctant to accept it.

I like the way you put things into perspective.

[CSK Fan]

He is hinting to the 'seniors' who are the ones opposing UDRS! Big 3 (It was 4 with Kumble) are the ones telling BCCI not to adopt.

I thought he was also the one opposing it! and who are the big 3? Laxman was suppodting UDRS the last time i heard

[Nova]

Dhoni has pretty much re-iterated what I've been saying for a looooooooong time. The solution to umpiring errors on the field is not less umpiring and more technology, its better umpiring. In all the craze and frenzy after the 2008 Sydney test, ICC felt they had to be at least seen to be doing something about the crisis and chose to tame the tiger by grabbing its head, rather than the tail. However, Dhoni's assertion that UDRS should not be used unless it is 100% accurate is wrong and misguided. This isnt a choice b/w using a fool-proof system or a flawed system, as Dhoni is making it out to be. This is a choice b/w the status quo, which is to give umpires all of the powers of decision making which leads to a lot of on-field errors (AND) a newer system, where there is an option of the umpire's decision being over-ridden with technology's help (UDRS). And quite clearly, the latter leads to significantly less errors and more importantly, avoids the kinds of controversies, even near diplomatic crisis, that are caused by umpiring errors. By continuing to skirt past the UDRS issue, we're clearly sending the world all sorts of wrong signals. We were the SOLE reason why the system was implemented in the first place. It was our outrage after the Sydney test that set in motion the events that ultimately led to this system. Of all people, we cannot be seen to be reluctant to accept it.

Nice. :two_thumbs_up: Someone email this to BCCI and Dhoni and Tendu.

[Late Cut]

Dhoni is suffering from PTSD from the Sri Lankan Series. No technology is going to make up for bad "challenges."

[diegovegaz]

laut ke buddhu ghar ko aaya!

[vvvslaxman]

Dhoni is suffering from PTSD from the Sri Lankan Series. No technology is going to make up for bad "challenges."

well he won 2 back to back series in srilanka. Won asia cup in sl. So instead of defending blindly the "Adarmasena" try to look at it logically.

[Ram]

Sriram, Finally! Finally, you are admitting that technology > charm

Let me just clarify this point. My central view that we should leave on-field decisions to human has not changed one bit. From a fan’s perspective, I am willing to take the odd mistake from the umpire and If you go by the what some of the top players have had to say on this, they pretty much seem to echo this sentiment as well. Of course, what we don’t want happening is for umpires to become the 12th man for one team and give so many horrendous decisions that the whole point of having two teams in the field with differential skill sets challenging each other is lost. That sometimes does happen, especially in cases like the Sydney test. However, I think occurrences like the Sydney test are more an exception than the norm. We’ve had plenty of series before and after the Sydney test where there was no UDRS in place and by and large, things have gotten reasonably well. Where my view has changed, is that UDRS has helped remove some of the scorching howlers that are so bad, they ultimately end up demonizing the umpire himself. But, what UDRS has achieved, we can achieve through better training and a new approach to this whole umpiring business. More importantly, I don’t buy into this idea that a sports contest has to be fair to both sides. I don’t think it ever is, or it was ever meant to be. What it was meant to be, is an entertaining spectacle. Unfortunately, with so much media hype and coverage and bastardization of the concept of sports with the infusion of all sorts things like patriotism etc, I think people take it too seriously and we end up missing the whole point. I would rather see an entertaining contest, than a fair contest. And by entertaining, I don’t mean people’s heads being blown off or stuff like that, but a bit of drama here and there, because it livens up the moment and adds the human element to it. But I guess most here don’t see it the way I do and I can understand that.

[fineleg]

More importantly, I don’t buy into this idea that a sports contest has to be fair to both sides. I would rather see an entertaining contest, than a fair contest

Why do you not want it to be fair to both sides? Thats a reasonable thing to expect right (in terms of umpiring to be fair)? Also why is either-or? Either fair or entertaining? It can be fair and entertaining at the same time. The sport itself is entertaining, it does not have to be unfair to be made entertaining.

[Ram]

Why do you not want it to be fair to both sides? Thats a reasonable thing to expect right (in terms of umpiring to be fair)? Also why is either-or? Either fair or entertaining? It can be fair and entertaining at the same time. The sport itself is entertaining, it does not have to be unfair to be made entertaining.

Oh, you’re absolutely correct in saying that words ‘entertaining’ and ‘fair’ don’t have to be mutually exclusive. But we fans tend to caught up in all the fake hype created by the media and end up taking it all too seriously. They do it for a reason, which is to fill air-time and get people to watch/read their stuff so that they can sell their ads. But at the end of the day, it just a game of 22 men with some wooden bats and a leather ball. I think that kind of gets lost in all the coarse shouting that happens.

[yoda]

I want umpiring standards to go up from 50% to 60% while I ignore technology which is 90% accurate. :hehe: ps: you can insert your own percentages for 50 and 60 as long as they are much below 90 :cheer: