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NEW DELHI: The Indian cricket board on Wednesday wrote a letter to the International Cricket Council (ICC), complaining about the “inadequacy” of the umpire referral system being used in the World Cup.
The board (BCCI) also said it resented the governing body’s general manager Dave Richardson’s criticism of India captain Mahendra Singh Dhoni, who had criticised the technology on Sunday.
“The inadequacy of the UDRS has been exposed in the CWC 2011. The group stage match between India and England was a case in point which clearly brought out the inadequacy of the system,” BCCI secretary N Srinivasan wrote in his letter to ICC chief executive Haroon Lorgat.
“ICC in consultation with Hawkeye formed playing conditions which specifies when the umpire can rely on Hawkeye and when he cannot. This itself is an admission on the question of reliability of the system including ball tracking technology.”
The UDRS debate stemmed from Ian Bell’s apparent let-off for leg before in England’s thrilling World Cup Group B tie against India on Sunday.
India captain Mahendra Singh Dhoni criticised what he called the “adulteration of technology with human thinking”.
Richardson was subsequently quoted in the Indian media as saying Dhoni would not have criticised UDRS had he been aware of the rule.
The ICC official’s remarks did not go down well with the Indian board.
“BCCI takes strong objection to Mr David Richardson criticising the Indian captain M S Dhoni. Mr. Richardson’s comment that the Indian captain should know the rule is out of place.
“The Indian captain only highlighted the inadequacy of the system and rightly so. It was there for the world to see.
“For an ICC representative to criticise a player for his post match press conference while the World Cup is being played is tantamount to pressurising the player. Mr Richardson has no right to do so.
“BCCI has strong reservations about the statement made by Mr Richardson. He should be instructed not to react in this fashion.”
