India legend Sachin Tendulkar recently spoke against the use of ‘umpire’s call’ rule in DRS, and said that a player should be adjudged out irrespective of what percentage of ball is hitting the stumps. But former India cricketer Aakash Chopra had said that he does not share the same opinion and believes that if the DRS projection showcases that 50 percent of ball is missing the stumps, then it should not be given out, irrespective of what is the umpire’s decision.

Speaking in the latest episode of his Youtube show ‘Aakash Vani’, Chopra said: “In principle it makes sense as once it is reviewed, why would you want to go back to the umpire. I am with you Paaji that once you have embraced technology, you should trust it and don’t do other things. Totally correct.”

Also read: Blackwood says from first ball, England captain Ben Stokes tried to distract him

“Here I have a difference of opinion with Paaji. When we are talking about the ball hitting the stumps, that is the projection that we see, we don’t see it in black and white.”

Tendulkar, in an interaction with West Indies legend Brian Lara on his 100mb app, had said that the DRS should treat the decision as in our out (ball either hitting stumps or not hitting stumps), much like tennis. But Chopra said that DRS projections take a lot of factors including spin and swing on the ball into consideration, and hence it cannot be compared to any other sports.  

“So this cannot be compared with football, badminton or tennis, we cannot compare that part of DRS with any other sport, because there you can see the tangible results with your eyes. But in cricket, the ball projection is based on technology taking into account the spin, bounce, swing etc. Here Paaji feels that even if it hits 5%, it should be given out. I feel it should not be given,” he said.

“Because there is a room for error. If you talk to Hawkeye, the company which makes this technology, they will say that if more than 50% of the ball is shown hitting the stump then they are a 100% certain that the ball will hit the stumps. But if less than 50% of the ball is shown to be hitting, then they are not a 100% certain. So there are chances that the ball might be missing,” the former India opener added.

Also read: ‘It’s very, very tough’: Why Sangakkara prefers Dhoni over Ganguly as a batsman in ODIs

Aakash Chopra, though, stressed that despite the ambiguity, there is a need to embrace the technology. “Now, there is an ambiguity and there is a room of doubt and you know that you can’t trust this part of the technology. It doesn’t mean that you don’t embrace technology at all, that will be a huge mistake.

“So the question is only when less than 50% of the ball hits the stumps. If the on-field umpire gives it out, it remains out but if the same ball is given not out by the umpire, it remains not out. That is the discrepancy that I am not okay with. So that you will have to change, you have to decide on that. If you feel that your accuracy is more than 50%, then the chapter is closed,” he said.

“If more than 50% of the ball strikes the stumps, it should be given out. If less than than 50% of the ball strikes the stumps, then whatever be the umpire’s decision, it should be given not out,” he added.

“The other thing is regarding things you can see like the ball hitting the pads. Why should you have umpire’s call in that? Either it is in line or outside the line. Even the ball pitching on leg stump is considered in line when more than 50% is inside the line and otherwise considered as umpire’s call. Why so? This is one thing that definitely needs to change,” Chopra further said.