Aakash Chopra Gives Reason Why He Doesn’t Support Sachin Tendulkar’s Suggestion To Scrap The ‘Umpire’s Call’
Jul 17, 2020 at 1:00 PM
Recently, the legendary Indian cricketer Sachin Tendulkar came up with advice to scrap the “Umpire’s Call” for the LBW in the Decision Review System (DRS). However, another former Indian cricketer and present commentator Aakash Chopra doesn’t support this view and he has also given the reason for it.
In the “Umpire’s Call” for the LBW in the Decision Review System (DRS), the on-field umpire’s decision remains if less than 50% of the ball is hitting the stumps, excluding the bails. However, in this case, the team doesn’t lose its utilised review.
Sachin Tendulkar feels that it doesn’t matter what % of the ball hits the stumps. According to him, if the DRS shows that the ball is hitting the stumps, the batsman should be given out anyway. The veteran Indian off-spinner Harbhajan Singh also comes out in big support of Tendulkar’s that suggestion.
However, Aakash Chopra has a different opinion from them on this matter.
In his latest Youtube show ‘Aakash Vani’, Chopra said, “Here I have a difference of opinion with Paaji. When we are talking about the ball hitting the stumps, that is the projection that we see, we don’t see it in black and white.”
Because there is a room for error: Aakash Chopra
The 42-year-old Chopra believes that the DRS system in cricket shouldn’t be compared with any other technologies which now have been used in the other sports. In cricket, the spin, bounce, swing etc. have been taken into the account during the ball projection in DRS.
Talking about supporting the “Umpires Call” for the LBW in the Decision Review System (DRS), Chopra pointed out the chance of error. According to the company that makes this technology, if more than 50% of the ball is shown hitting the stumps, it means that the actual delivery would definitely hit the stumps. Meanwhile, in the case of less than 50% of the ball is shown hitting the stumps, there is no assurance whether the actual delivery would hit the stumps or not.
Aakash Chopra said, “So this cannot be compared with football, badminton or tennis, we cannot compare that part of DRS with any other sport, because there you can see the tangible results with your eyes. But in cricket, the ball projection is based on technology taking into account the spin, bounce, swing etc. Here Paaji feels that even if it hits 5%, it should be given out. I feel it should not be given.”
Chopra continued, “Because there is a room for error. If you talk to Hawkeye, the company which makes this technology, they will say that if more than 50% of the ball is shown hitting the stump then they are a 100% certain that the ball will hit the stumps. But if less than 50% of the ball is shown to be hitting, then they are not a 100% certain. So there are chances that the ball might be missing.”