Thursday 19th November 2009
"Referral technology needs to improve"
espnstar.com’s Rajarshi Gupta spoke to SL batting sensation Mahela Jayawardene, who reiterates his stance on the referral system.
What started as an experiment a year and half back with the India's tour of Sri Lanka for a three Test series has now run into a stumbling block.
The BCCI refused to use the referral system in the ongoing Tests against the Islanders while the England and Wales Cricket Board decided to go without the umpire challenges for England's home series against South Africa.
However, Mahela Jayawardene, who was captain of the Lankan team when the system was tried out said: "I have always endorsed the referral system. Had it not been for the referrals in the last series, we would have been robbed of a lot of decisions that eventually went our way but was missed by the umpires.
There are areas which need to improve. You have to get the technology right to make the referrals more effective.
I believe Sachin Tendulkar had raised a point about the LBW decision and I think I agree with him in that you need to rectify the direction in which the ball is going."
Meanwhile, the Test Championship may well be on the anvil of global cricket authorities but Jayawardene all teams needs to get equal opportunities for such a move to take shape.
"I do endorse the Test championship but all teams need to get equal opportunities. All my career, I have played only two Tests in Australia, three in India (before the start of the current three Test series) and two in South Africa.
As long as there is some kind of consistency, I don't see a problem with the Championship. I know the Future Tours Programme has some minimum requirements but some teams don't even get that minimum requirement.
When you want a Test Championship, you need to make sure every team gets to play a fair number of Tests home and away."
Sri Lanka last played a Test two months back before travelling to India while the hosts wore the whites at the beginning of the year in New Zealand.
In fact, the series against the Lankans is India's first at home after a year since MS Dhoni led the team to victory against England.
That is some serious food for thought for the International Cricket Council, which is talking of a Test Championship but is busy planning packed international schedules, stuffed to the brim with ODI's and Twenty20's.
The ICC has a lot more to worry about given the light storm brewing up with another of their dream initiatives.
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Meanwhile, Jayawardene, who finished the third day of the Ahmedabad Test on an unbeaten double hundred said his team had no intention of taking the Indian attack lightly despite Anil Kumble's absence.
"Harbhajan Singh is an experienced bowler and Zak (Zaheer Khan) is back for the team. We will not be complacent against them."
Complacency does not find place in Jayawardene's game, elegant and pristine as it is. With him at the crease, it is all about breathtaking stroke play and innovation at the crease.
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