England could become the first touring team to play a series in India using the decision review system following a softening of India’s stance on technology.
India have refused to use the DRS in a bilateral series since a trip to Sri Lanka in 2008, when they were unconvinced by the quality of Hawk-Eye’s ball-tracking device.
But coach Anil Kumble – who became a sceptic of the technology after playing in that series – and Test captain Virat Kohli are understood to be open to the idea of introducing the DRS in time for the five-match series against England starting on November 9 in Rajkot.
Nothing has been formally agreed yet, but ICC general manager Geoff Allardice will travel to India next week with a Hawk-Eye representative as part of the governing body’s attempts to standardise the use of the DRS in all international cricket.
And that means Kumble may be able to persuade the BCCI that India should finally fall into line with the rest of the world and adopt a system that also includes Hot Spot, an infra-red imaging tool that highlights whether the ball has come into contact with the bat, and the Snickometer, which matches up sound with pictures.
India have previously been unmovable on the question of the ball-tracking’s accuracy, despite ICC statistics which suggest its margin for error is superior to the umpire’s naked eye.
But a presentation in May by the Massachusetts Institute of Technology to the ICC’s cricket committee, which Kumble chairs, is thought to have helped sway the Indian coach’s mind.
Meanwhile, Kohli, the most influential voice in the Test team, recently said that India would ‘certainly look to introduce it in future’.
An ICC source told Sportsmail: ‘The players have seen how it is used and how it can impact positively. We need a clear, consistent approach from everyone.’
With spinners set to bowl plenty of overs on turning tracks in a gruelling five-match series between two of the world’s most high-profile teams, there may never be a better moment for India to embrace the DRS and ensure that umpiring controversies stay out of the headlines.
