Sachin Tendulkar expressed displeasure over ‘Umpire’s Call’ in the Decision Review System (DRS) after Australia batsmen Joe Burns and Marnus Labuschagne were ruled ‘not out’ on review after ball-tracking returned ‘Umpire’s Call’ on Day 3 of the second Test between India and Australia in Melbourne.
Jasprit Bumrah hit Burns on the pads and India appealed. The on-field umpire ruled it as not out and after some deliberation India captain Ajinkya Rahane went for a review. However, DRS returning “Umpire’s Call” meant that the on-field not out decision stayed. Had the on-field umpire given it out and Australia reviewed it, the decision would have stood.
Tendulkar wrote on Twitter: “The reason players opt for a review is because they’re unhappy with the decision taken by the on-field umpire. The DRS system needs to be thoroughly looked into by the @ICC, especially for the ‘Umpires Call’.”
Burns, who was batting on one run, survived on that occasion but could not make the most of the opportunity as he edged an Umesh Yadav delivery behind to wicket-keeper Rishabh Pant to be dismissed for four runs.
Labuschagne was a beneficiary of the ‘Umpire’s Call’ too when he was batting on 24 as a delivery from Mohammed Siraj hit the batsman on the pads but the on-field decision stayed not out on review.
The Australia No. 3 could not take advantage of the reprieve either as R Ashwin did him with a straight ball that took Labuschagne’s outside edge and landed in Rahane’s hands at slip.
