Daryl Harper says, India is holding the world to ransom on DRS

Harper, who was pushed into premature retirement after being publicly condoned by India captain Mahendra Singh Dhoni during the first Test between India and the West Indies at Kingston, said the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) is holding the world to ransom while weak ICC fails to push through mandatory use of DRS, which is wanted by other leading cricketing nations.

ICC had ended mandatory use of DRS in September

Confessing errors in cricket’s electronic eye after the extreme pressure from Indian Cricket Board, the cricket governing body had ended the mandatory adaptation of DRS in bilateral series in September and revived it to May’s position, according to which the technology could only be use in case of mutual acceptance of two boards.

“The ICC is doing no controlling and the rest of the world is being held to ransom. The man on the street is asking how can the ICC allow this to continue,” Harper, who retired after 175 one-dayers and 95 Tests in June, was quoted as saying by Adelaide Now.

“If you get one wrong in this format it can’t be rectified. It is a ludicrous situation which makes every situation magnified. It is very frustrating,” added the Australian.

Use of technology is a step in right direction: Harper

The debate about DRS blew up again when two Australia batsmen debutant Ed Cowan (68) and Mike Hussey (naught) fell to controversial decisions on the opening day of last-week’s first Test against India in Melbourne but were unable to review the umpire’s call due to unavailability of technology.

Harper also said BCCI’s objection that the technology is flawed is an absurd argument.

“The technology is not 100 per cent accurate but it never will be. It is not perfect but it is a step in the right direction,” he said.