DRS in this year’s Indian Premier League?

In a first major deviation from its anti-DRS stand, the BCCI is likely to implement limited use of the Decision Review System (DRS) in the upcoming Indian Premier League season.

Some signs of acceptance of DRS without the ball tracking technology for LBW referrals have already come from BCCI president Shashank Manohar, also the chairman of the ICC.

In a first major deviation from its anti-DRS stand, the BCCI is likely to implement limited use of the Decision Review System (DRS). The primary discussions about the proposal were held during the Indian Premier League’s governing council meeting here on Friday.

“There is a proposal to use DRS in the IPL minus the Leg Before Wicket (LBW) referrals. We have just started discussing it,” IPL chairman Rajeev Shukla told reporters after the meeting.

Irrespective of whether the proposal turns into reality, the fact that the BCCI is discussing some form of DRS is in itself a big step forward. Ever since India suffered heavily in the DRS’ introductory Test series, in Sri Lanka in 2008, the BCCI and the Indian team have consistently opposed DRS.

A BCCI insider revealed that the lbw-less DRS is the “best possible use of technology since the basic purpose of DRS was to eradicate howlers.” The BCCI is now likely to discuss the proposal again on the sidelines of the Player Auction, to be held in Bengaluru on February 6.