Channel 9 to use Hot Spot during India-Australia series
The Umpire Decision Review System (UDRS) will not be used when India clash with Australia in the upcoming Test series but Channel 9, the official broadcaster, has decided to stick to technologies such as Hot Spot and Eagle Eye for the sake of TV viewers.
The Umpire Decision Review System (UDRS) will not be used when India clash with Australia in the upcoming Test series but Channel 9, the official broadcaster, has decided to stick to technologies such as Hot Spot and Eagle Eye for the sake of TV viewers.
The Indian cricket board has ruled out using the Umpire Decision Review System (UDRS) in Australia as it feels that the ball-tracking tool is not accurate enough.
Under the rules, the DRS system needs the approval of both teams in a bilateral series.
However, Channel 9 said despite India's reservation for the technology, they will use it for the millions of cricket viewers this summer.
"India have got something against the DRS and that goes back a long way. But Hot Spot and Eagle Eye are part of what we do for viewers. If India don't agree to use them for decision making it is no skin off our nose, it doesn't affect us. We will push on," Nine director of sport Steve Crawley told 'Courier Mail'.
"The technology is improving every year. Eagle Eye now has a lot more frames per second and that technology is better than it has ever been," he added.
Channel 9 is planning to use Hot Spot, Eagle Eye and other ball-tracking devices during the four-Test series which gets underway from October 26, the Boxing Day, at the Melbourne Cricket Ground (MCG).
India's last tour of Australia in 2007-08 was marred by some contentious umpiring decisions at the Sydney Cricket Ground (SCG) Test. India have been at the receiving end of the UDRS many times, the recent being during their tour of England in August-September when they faced several incorrect decisions.