Players should be allowed to review wide, high no-balls: Vettori, Tahir

Team Udayavani, May 3, 2022, 5:02 PM IST

Assistant coach of Delhi Capitals, Pravin Amre unhappy with the umpire’s not a no ball decision / File (Credit: Sportzpics for IPL)

Mumbai: Former New Zealand captain Daniel Vettori and South African spinner Imran Tahir reckon that wides and height no-balls should also come under the DRS scanner as umpires’ call sparked fresh debate during Rajasthan Royals’ IPL match against Kolkata Knight Riders here.

Defending 18 runs from the last two overs, Royals skipper Sanju Samson was visibly upset by umpire Nitin Pandit’s three-wide calls despite considerable movement from the batters — Rinku Singh and Nitish Rana — on a couple of occasions in the penultimate over on Monday.

Samson then went on to ask for a review when the ball was miles away from the bat in his sarcastic way of protest.

It sparked a fresh debate for call of wides and waist height no-balls for review with the Kiwi former all-rounder speaking up on the issue once again.

”I don’t think there was any thought of it actually being out… Absolutely (players should be allowed to review wides). The players should be able to decide in such crucial matters,” Vettori, a former Royal Challengers Bangalore coach, told ESPNCricinfo.com.

”Today it is a little bit different where it always looked like KKR are going to win. But we have sat here so many times and seen decisions go against bowlers that are so close and the umpire has got it wrong.

”So therefore the players should have some avenues towards rectifying those mistakes. That’s why DRS was brought in: to rectify mistakes. I would like to see that happen. And players are very good judges of that. They get it right more often than not.”

According to the ICC rule 22.4.1 on wides, ”The umpire shall not adjudge a delivery as being a Wide, if the striker, by moving, either causes the ball to pass wide of him/her, or brings the ball sufficiently within reach to be able to hit it by means of a normal cricket stroke.”

Rajasthan Royals were involved in yet another controversy — this time involving a no-ball in their match against Rishabh Pant-led Delhi Capitals.

Chasing a mammoth 223, Delhi needed 36 from the final over and Rovman Powell upped the ante, smashing three sixes in a row.

The third six came off a waist-high full toss but the on-field umpires did not call it a no-ball, nor did they choose to refer it.

It led to unprecedented scenes in the Delhi dugout as Pant started calling back the players and their assistant coach Pravin Amre stepped on the pitch in a blatant violation of the Code of Conduct.

Echoing similar sentiments, former Chennai Super Kings all-rounder Tahir said: ”Yeah why not (review)… There is not much for bowlers in the game. When batters are hitting you all over, you don’t have much choice than bowling wide yorkers or bowling wide-leg breaks. If that becomes a wide, you are in trouble.”

”But look, it was a close call. Samson was a little bit frustrated. It was a 50-50 thing. I don’t think it should be a big issue. Kolkata played well, and they were going to win it. But yeah there should be a review that a player can go for,” he added.

The KKR duo of Rana and Singh scored 17 runs in the penultimate over to seal a seven-wicket win with five balls to spare.