England’s star all-rounder Ben Stokes has expressed his displeasure over the ‘umpire’s call’ in the Decision Review System (DRS) and has urged the International Cricket Council [ICC] to look into the matter.
Ben Stokes, has suggested some changes to the International Cricket Council regarding the usage of DRS or Decision Review System in LBW calls. Stokes feels that the apex cricket board should remove the umpire’s call while judging the point of impact and pitching of the ball.
Stokes’s statements came after the ICC committee, led by former Indian skipper and legendary spinner, Anil Kumble had increased the ‘wicket zone’ or the ‘hitting zone’ of the stumps, increasing it from the bottom of the bails to the top of the bails, after umpire’s call was heavily criticized during the India vs England series.
Stokes also urged stated that the umpire’s call should only be considered to confirm whether or not the ball is smashing the stumps as it also involves a prediction from on-field umpires. He said:
“I think the umpire’s call on stumps should stay because that is a prediction after what has happened. But I think the umpire’s call with pitching in line and impact should be eradicated because you can physically see where the ball has pitched, and you can physically see where it has hit you.”
He added:
“If the ball has pitched in line or hit you in line, I think it should just be green, whereas the ball hitting the stumps is a prediction. You can physically see from all the cameras that they have got if it has pitched in line or hit in line, or if half the ball is out or half the ball is in,”
Earlier, the Indian skipper Virat Kohli had called the umpire’s call confusing and asked for ‘basic cricket sense’ to prevail.
