Should ‘umpire’s call’ rule stay?

'Umpire's call' has been a huge debating point in the cricket world since the onset of the DRS and many former players have urged the ICC to do away with this.

What is Umpire’s Call in DRS?

Umpire’s call is when the Decision Review System (DRS) gives the benefit of the doubt to the on-field umpire’s original call. If a batsman is adjudged leg-before and it is reviewed then the third umpire has to uphold the on-field decision if replays show half the ball hitting an area that includes the outside of off and leg stumps. In other words, at least 50 per cent of the ball should be hitting any part of a stump. This law came into effect from October 1, 2016. Previously, at least 50 per cent of the ball had to be hitting at least 50 per cent of a stump in the projection provided by the ball-tracker.

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Introduction of Umpire’s Call

The law was introduced into the sport in 2016, the term “umpire’s call” puts more weight behind an on-field umpire’s decision. Thus, increasing the authority of his decision and not making him a mere spectator on the field.

‘Umpire’s call’ has been a huge debating point in the cricket world since the onset of the DRS and many former players have urged the ICC to do away with this. However, earlier this month, umpire Nitin Menon highlighted why this needs to be stuck with.

“See, first of all, umpire’s call is regarding decisions which are very close, the decisions which are 50-50, which can go either way, goes with the call of the on-field umpire. It is not a completely perfect decision that has been overturned, so it is a 50-50 decision which can go either way, to the batting side or the fielding side. When we know that technology is not itself 100 per cent correct, so that is when you need the umpire’s call,” Menon said.

India skipper Virat Kohli recently said that the umpire’s call is creating a lot of confusion at the moment and the lawmakers need to look at it so that it does not leave a grey area when a big tournament is being played

Ball-Tracking

As per Hawk-Eye, the company which makes the ball-tracking technology, if more than 50% of the ball is shown to be hitting the stump, then it is 100% certain that the ball will hit the stumps. But if less than 50% of the ball is shown to be hitting the stumps, then there is no certainty.
The debate arises only in the case of the latter when there is an ambiguity related to the accuracy of ball-tracking.

ICC Committee’s take

The International Cricket Council’s (ICC) Cricket Committee has recommended that the concept of ‘umpire’s call’ rule in the Decision Review System (DRS) should stay, citing that the ball-tracking technology was not going to be 100 per cent correct.

Committee members

Anil Kumble (Chairman)
Former international captains
• Andrew Strauss
• Rahul Dravid
• Mahela Jayawardene
• Shaun Pollock
Ranjan Madugalle (Chief match referee)
Richard Illingworth (Umpire)
Mickey Arthur (Team Coach rep)

Members took suggestions from other match officials, broadcasters, and Hawk-Eye, the ball-tracking technology supplier. The committee, after some debate, decided that the ‘Umpire’s call’ rule should stay because of the aforementioned reason.

Recent Statistics

Test Series: India and England (March 2021)

Reviews made: 65
Reviews struck down: 53
Unsuccessful reviews: 37
Umpire’s call: 16

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