Former Australia skipper Ian Chappell has said that he still does not have much faith in the Decision Review System (DRS). In the first Test of the three-match series between England and West Indies, many decisions were overturned, and once again the debate has started around the usage of DRS. In the ongoing series between both these teams, three reviews are awarded to each side per innings, one extra than the usual two reviews. “There was a time when the BCCI distrusted the DRS. I’m no longer in lock-step with the BCCI on this because I still don’t have much faith in the DRS. It struggles to achieve at least two of the ICC’s prime objectives: arriving at the correct decision and eradicating the howler,” ESPNCricinfo quoted Chappell as saying.

“So long as there are a finite number of reviews, it can never be guaranteed to achieve those goals. In its current form, it’s mostly used to review 50/50 decisions, is occasionally employed as a tactic, and is overused in the interests of self-preservation,” he added.

The former Australian skipper also gave the example of the ongoing series between England and West Indies to show how the technology is being manipulated to get some advantage in the match.

“If I’m a player and there’s going to be a human hand involved in the decision, I’d much prefer it was adjudicated on by the umpires in the middle,” Chappell said.

“The look of disdain on the face of umpire Richard Kettleborough after three of his decisions were overturned early on day two of the first Test between England and West Indies, was ample proof of his feelings about the system at that moment. My sympathies were with Kettleborough, one of the better umpires on the international panel,” he added.

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The 76-year-old Chappell also said that the use of reviews in the ongoing series epitomises how the system is being devalued.

“There have already been some cynical examples of DRS use in the series between England and West Indies that epitomise how far the system has been devalued. It’s time the DRS was the subject of a thorough overhaul,” Chappell concluded.