DRS ‘is not consistent at all’ – Virat Kohli

 
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Question marks on the accuracy of the Decision Review System (DRS) have now come up in two successive matches in the ongoing India-Australia series, with Virat Kohli making his displeasure public, saying “it’s just not consistent at all” following an overturned review for caught-behind of Ashton Turner during a crucial passage of play in the fourth ODI in Mohali on Sunday.

The incident took place in the 44th over of Australia’s pursuit of India’s 358 for 9, when Turner tried to slash a slow, wide legbreak from Yuzvendra Chahal. Turner lunged to cut a ball from inside the crease to one that spun way. The ball seemed to have connected with the toe-end of Turner’s bat. Having collected the ball, Rishabh Pant whipped off the bails and appealed for what initially felt like a stumping. However, he then urged Kohli to take the review even as umpire Anil Chaudhary called it not out, and the decision was referred to third umpire Joel Wilson.

Ultra Edge picked some murmurs even before the ball had passed the bat and once again flickered just after the ball went passed the swinging blade. Wilson duly turned down India’s review, something Kohli disagreed with, displaying his displeasure by shaking his head and saying a few words.

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At that point, Turner was on 41 with Australia needing a further 66 from 39 balls with five wickets in hand. He went on to hurt India by helping Australia to their highest chase in ODIs, Kohli describing his innings as the “game-changer”.

Without any prompting at the post-match presentation ceremony, Kohli called the DRS decision contentious, saying it “was a bit of a surprise”. “It’s becoming more of a talking point every game. It’s just not consistent at all, and that was a game-changer moment as well,” he said.

“But yeah, that’s more of an uncontrollable, but the controllable we had to do right, and we didn’t do it right, and the opportunity slipped away,” he added, pointing to the many chances the Indians missed on the field.

Kohli’s mention of DRS becoming ‘a talking point’ was likely a reference to the third ODI in Ranchi, where a glaring error in ball-tracking projection came into the spotlight when Australian captain Aaron Finch was given out lbw off left-arm wristspinner Kuldeep Yadav.

Kuldeep got a stock ball to straighten and rap the Australia captain on the back pad in the 32nd over, and C Shamshuddin, the on-field umpire, ruled the batsman out lbw. Finch asked for a review, and replays showed the ball pitching on leg stump, when it had actually bounced on middle stump.

While the ball might have still gone on to hit the stumps even if it had pitched on leg stump, it was a noticeable mistake on the part of the ball-tracking technology in use.

ESPNcricinfo understands that the technology might have suffered a technical glitch during the Ranchi game, which resulted in it missing the line. Australia’s management has not lodged any official complaint with the match officials following the incident.

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