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After Bailey's reprieve should India embrace the DRS?

Last updated on: January 13, 2016 14:29 IST

- Did India's reluctance to accept the Decision Review System cost them the first ODI against Australia in Perth?

- We are still not convinced with DRS. It should be a decision-making system. Too many things are involved, need to make it more simple: Mahendra Singh Dhoni.

bailey repreive

IMAGE: George Bailey was adjudged not out when he was yet to open his account. Television replays, however, showed him gloving the ball. Photograph: Fox Sports/Twitter

India's reluctance to accept the Decision Review System in its current form cost them what would have been a crucial, match-changing wicket in their five-wicket defeat to Australia in the first ODI of the five-match series, at the WACA ground in Perth, on Tuesday.

The home side was in trouble at 21 for 2 in the fifth over, chasing 310 for victory, when debutant quick Barinder Sran and India's fielders appealed for a leg-side catch off the first delivery George Bailey faced.

- Scorecard

A muted appeal from captain and wicketkeeper Mahendra Singh Dhoni may have contributed to the not out decision from umpire Richard Kettleborough, but television replays showed a clear deflection off Bailey's glove.

- PHOTOS: Perth ODI

With the Board of Control for Cricket in India firm in its stance against the DRS in its current form, the tourists were not able to challenge the decision and Bailey continued his innings.

The former Australia captain took full advantage, finishing with 112 and sharing a 242-run stand with captain Steve Smith, as Australia chased down the target in the final over. 

bailey 100

IMAGE: George Bailey, who got a reprieve when he was yet to score, made the Indians pay by scoring a hundred at Perth. Photo: Paul Kane/Getty Images.

"It would have been interesting to have a look at it on DRS, but we're not the team that doesn't want it," Bailey told Wide World of Sports following his fourth ODI century.

In the post-match press conference, Dhoni stuck to his stance on the review system, also accepting he wasn't 100 per cent sure Bailey had gloved it.

“We are still not convinced with DRS. It should be a decision-making system. Too many things are involved, need to make it more simple,” he said.

In December, BCCI president Shashank Manohar reasserted India's stance that unless DRS is ‘foolproof’, they would continue to refuse use of the technology in bilateral series, despite other nations embracing the system.

Manohar added that the BCCI's objection to DRS only centered around the referral of leg before wicket decisions, not other dismissals.

"The BCCI was never against DRS right from my earlier tenure," he said.

"In 2011, when we had the meeting, the person in charge of DRS was not able to satisfy our queries. So until it is foolproof, we would not accept it."

The DRS was at the centre of controversy during the Australian summer, notably in the Adelaide Test against New Zealand when a reprieve was handed to Australian tail-ender Nathan Lyon, which went on to turn the match in the home side's favour. The ICC later conceded it was an error.

There was also confusion during the Hobart Test against the West Indies, when a not out LBW decision was upheld despite the Eagle Eye ball-tracking technology showing a significant portion of the ball to be hitting the stumps.

That ruling was labelled 'ridiculous' by Shane Warne on Channel Nine's commentary while former Australia and Netherlands quick Dirk Nannes was equally as confused.