ICC Cricket Committee Headed By Anil Kumble Rules 'Umpire Call' Will Remain

The Anil Kumble-led ICC Cricket Committee has upheld the umpire’s call part of the Decision Review System (DRS) despite objection from many quarters of the cricket community including the likes of India captain Virat Kohli.

Virat Kohli had called the umpire’s call confusing and it has been part of controversy as well. As per the existing rule, 50% of the ball should be hitting at least one of the three stumps for the batsman to be adjudged LBW on review in case an umpire’s not-out call has been challenged.

Kohli had contended that the batsman should be professed out if the ball is hitting the stumps, even if marginally.

Umpire’s Call Allows Error In The DRS To Be Corrected And Hence Remains Important: Anil Kumble

“The Cricket Committee had an excellent discussion around Umpire’s Call and analysed its use extensively. The principle underpinning DRS was to correct clear errors in the game whilst ensuring the role of the umpire as the decision maker on the field of play was preserved…Umpire’s Call allows that to happen, which is why it is important it remains,” ICC’s Cricket Committee head and former Indian captain Anil Kumble said in a statement released by ICC.

3 Changes Made To DRS And Third Umpire Protocols By The ICC Committee

However, the ICC committee has introduced three changes to the DRS and third umpire protocols.

“For LBW reviews, the height margin of the Wicket Zone will be lifted to the top of the stumps to ensure the same Umpire’s Call margin around the stumps for both height and width. A player will also be able to ask the umpire whether a genuine attempt has been made to play the ball before deciding to review an LBW decision. The third Umpire will check a replay of any short run that has been called and correct any error prior to the next ball being bowled,” the statement further read.

The second LBW margin rule means that the review, which until now covered till the base of the bails, will extend to the top of the bails as well. This will effectively increase the height of the wicket zone as the DRS analyzes the trajectory of the ball.

Furthermore, the committee decided to continue with the interim COVID-19 regulations that were introduced in 2020, which sees non-neutral, home umpires officiating the matches. The saliva ban continues as well as other hygiene protocols.

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