1st Test: Lankans caught in the act again

KOLKATA: A day after an apparent fake-fielding incident, the Sri Lankan team was involved in another controversy on Sunday. This time, they seemed to breach rules over the Decision Review System.

In the morning session of Day 4 in the opening Test, Mohammad Shami brought one back sharply to rap Dilruwan Perera on the back pad in front of off stump. Umpire Nigel Long promptly raised the finger and Perera, after exchanging a glance with non-striker Rangana Herath, headed back to the dressing room. After a few steps, the offspinner looked up at the dressing room and quickly retraced his steps to ask for a review.

It turned out to be a wise decision as the ball-tracking technology showed the ball to be hitting the batsman marginally outside off stump. That reprieve helped Sri Lanka arrest the slide and build a healthy first-innings lead.

According to the rules of the game, a batsman is not allowed to seek inspiration or look for a signal from the dressing room while asking for a DRS review. Instinctive reaction from the dressing room is not allowed either.

ICC’s Decision Review System Clause 3.2 (c) says, “In particular, signals from the dressing room must not be given”.

Although it was not conclusive whether there was some communication or signals, one or two hands apparently went up in the dressing room which did not go unnoticed in the Indian camp. Rangana Herath, though, denied any dressing-room input behind the decision to review the leg-before verdict. Herath claimed after the day’s play that it was he who asked for the review. “I asked for review from Nigel (Llong)... Dilruwan, who was walking off, heard that and returned,” he said.

Later, Sri Lanka Cricket (SLC) also issued a clarification on the issue. “Contrary to the assumptions made, that there was no message from the dressing room in the requested review. Having mistakenly assumed that Sri Lanka had exhausted their reviews, Perera had turned to leave the field when he heard Rangana Herath inquire from on-field umpire Llong if they have any reviews left to which Long answered in the affirmative,” the statement read.

Manjrekar bats for batsmen

Former India batsman Sanjay Manjrekar, however, said he is in favour of batsmen taking help from dressing room in case he has doubts while going for a review. “What we saw on TV it gave a feel that there was some indication from the dressing room to go for DRS. But obviously, there is no proof of that,” he said. “But going forward I feel rules need to be looked at and if needed, they should be changed. I think if you are a batting side and within 15 seconds if a batsman wants to look towards dressing room to get some clue, that shouldn’t be big a deal.

“A fielding side has 11 players and they can have a word with each other before going for a review. Rules should be fair for both teams,” he added.

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