DRS leaves everybody wondering

SKIPPER Tim Paine has indicated a loss of faith in the Decision Review System that saved matchwinner Cheteshwar Pujara and India then hurt Australia in the Adelaide series opener.

Pujara and Ajinkya Rahane added a collective 113 runs following escapes afforded by successful DRS appeals having been given out by umpire Nigel Llong.

Virat Kohli’s side won the opening Test of a series for the first time in Australia by 31 runs. Pujara was fortunate to remain when trapped in front on 17 having not offered a shot to a ball from Lyon in India’s second innings. DRS tracking indicated the ball was bouncing over the bails which wasn’t lost on Paine with Pujara making 71. Astute judges including former Australian coach Darren Lehmann noted Llong’s verdict looked solid.

“I don’t want to talk about DRS. It’s just - it is what it is,” said Paine.

“A lot of balls seem to be going over the top of the stumps, I know that, that live don’t look like they are. So yeah it is what it is.

“Yeah, the DRS is interesting.”

India until 2016 resisted the implementation of DRS which was designed to eliminate howlers – due to concerns over the accuracy of predictive ball tracking – particularly in LBW verdicts.

Ironically, Australia could be starting to query a system relying on different camera angles and subjective analysis. Australia failed to use its reviews as a weapon.

Aaron Finch declined to re- view a caught behind decision in Australia’s second innings off Ravi Ashwin that appeared to show the opener didn’t hit the ball.

“It’s one of those things. You can’t do much about it. We’ve been told Aaron’s, for instance would still not have been overturned,” explained Paine.

Paine and Josh Hazlewood also failed to review a caught behind appeal on Pujara in India’s first innings when the No.3 was on 89 and posted 123. Snicko technology appeared to show an edge on Pujara’s bat.