India Test captain Virat Kohli remains sceptical on the accuracy of ball-tracking technology, but hinted India might be ready to finally embrace the Decision Review System (DRS).
The influential Indian cricket board (BCCI) has been a staunch opponent of the DRS system, which aims at reducing umpiring howlers by detecting edges and predicting ball trajectory to get correct catch and leg-before decisions.
The BCCI does not allow DRS in bilateral series involving its team, but Kohli said they had been discussing the issue for a while.
“We want to definitely think about it but it’s something we have had discussion on and certainly look to probably introduce it in future,” Kohli said on the eve of the second Test against New Zealand at Kolkata’s Eden Gardens.
“These are the things we have had meetings on. There were areas which we felt can be debated… specially the ball-tracking and Hawk-Eye.”
“We won’t take (erroneous umpiring) decisions too hard because we, in the first place, decided that we won’t use DRS. For us to say then that umpires made an error and it’s going against us, it’s not logical.
“Once DRS is in place, once DRS is up and running for us as well, then you can say what are the grey areas.”
Addressing media in place of New Zealand skipper Kane Williamson, who is down with a bug, opener Tom Latham vouched for technology.
“I suppose we’ve had it in the past back home and it is a good system that tends to work,” the left-hander said.
“It gets rid of that decision that probably isn’t out or is out, that major decision that is called incorrectly. We enjoyed it back home, if (India started using it) that would be great.”
Williamson skipped training but would be available as the tourists sought to level the series after losing the series opener in Kanpur, Latham added.
Kohli confirmed that off-spinner Ravichandran Ashwin, who claimed half the Kiwi wickets in Kanpur despite bowling with a corn on his middle finger, was available for the match.
The India captain did not rule out off-spinner Jayant Yadav making his Test debut in a three-pronged spin attack.
“We felt adding an off-spinner, because they have five left-handers in their batting line up, would help us at a stage where possibly we are looking to play three spinners,” Kohli said.
“The whole idea was to bring in another guy who can bowl at the left-handers.”
Ayush Mhatre of Chennai Super Kings play a shot during the 2025 IPL match against Royal Challengers Bengaluru at M Chinnaswamy Stadium on May 3, 2025, in Bengaluru, India. (Photo by Pankaj Nangia/Getty Images)