Umpire Referral System Introduced in 1st Test

With the umpire referral system set to be trialled in the Test series between Sri Lanka and India, Here are the basic aspects of this system.

What is the umpire referral system?

It’s an arrangement that will allow the sides to appeal to change a decision perceived to have been incorrect.

Can the sides appeal any number of times?

Both, the fielding and the batting sides, are allowed three unsuccessful appeals per innings, i.e. the sides may continue to appeal against decisions in an innings till three appeals go against them — much like the system used in tennis.

Can the quota of appeals be carried over?

No. The allocation of unsuccessful appeals is three per innings, and can’t be carried over. Again, it’s similar to the system in tennis, where the quota is confined to a set.

With so many players involved — unlike in tennis — who makes the appeal?

These appeals can be made only by the batsman in receipt of the umpire’s original decision or the captain of the fielding side, in both cases by the player making a ‘T’ sign with both forearms at shoulder height.

What happens once an appeal is made?

The on-field umpire consults with the third umpire, who reviews available television coverage of the incident before relaying fact-based information back to his colleague. The on-field umpire then delivers his decision either by raising his finger to indicate “out” or by crossing his hands in a horizontal position side to side in front and above his waist three times — as per a “safe” decision by an official in baseball.

What technological aids can the television umpire use? Can he use Hawk Eye?

The aids available to the television umpire are: slow-motion replays; the wicket-to-wicket “mat” to judge where the ball pitched; sound from stump microphones; ball-tracking technology up to the point of impact on the pad, but not the extrapolation thereafter — so he can’t use Hawk Eye as it is seen by viewers, but he will have access to the measured path of the ball till it strikes the pad. The television umpire will not be able to use snick-detecting devices and “hot-spot” technology in this trial.

This is what experts say:

Anil Kumble: It will be helpful for both the players and the umpires. We have to keep moving with the times, line-ball decisions are accepted in tennis now. We aren’t trying to do away with tradition.

Mahela Jayawardene: It’s to try and eradicate the obvious mistakes, the series-threatening and career-threatening mistakes, so it will help us concentrate on the game. We must be sure to do it in a respectful way to the umpires because they are also human, and I’ll be glad if we don’t use it too much.

Rudi Koertzen (television umpire in the first Test): The pressure will be more since there is immense scrutiny, but everybody’s trying to arrive at the right decision. This won’t erode the authority of the on-field umpires.

Rahul Dravid: I just hope the television technology matches up to it and it gives us a clear picture of what is happening in the middle so that the correct decision is made. It’s going to be fun, it’s going to be interesting — when to appeal and when not.