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Aakash Chopra has opined that the DRS (Decision Review System) rule on LBW decisions needs to be changed. He pointed out that the current rule could cost a team a World Cup final.
Bangladesh suffered a four-run loss to South Africa in a 2024 T20 World Cup game in New York on Monday, June 9. During the chase, Mahmadullah was given out LBW when the ball hit his pad and went to the boundary. Although the LBW decision was reversed on review, four runs were not awarded as the ball was deemed dead once the umpire had ruled the batter out.
Reflecting on the incident in a video shared on his YouTube channel, Chopra noted that the much-debated rule needs to be changed as it could alter the result of a crucial game.
"This is that moment - didn't I tell you so? It might have been three or four years since we have been saying that assuming that you needed two runs off the last ball for a win, the ball was delivered, the umpire gave you out leg-before, and you lost the match by one run," he said (1:00).
"India or Australia will lose one day. This will happen in the World Cup final. It will happen sometime or the other. The margins are very fine. What will you do if it happens in this World Cup's final? A change is absolutely mandatory," the former India opener added.
Chopra cited the example of it happening in an India-Pakistan World Cup final where Virat Kohli was incorrectly given out LBW. He pointed out that the runs won't be given not only if the ball is missing the stumps but even if there is evidence of it coming off the bat.
"The only way to avoid it is that the umpires will have to be retrained slightly" - Aakash Chopra
Aakash Chopra noted that the umpires need to change the process of ruling batters out LBW.
"What is the way to avoid this? The only way to avoid it is that the umpires will have to be retrained slightly. As soon as the bowler bowls and the ball hits the pad, you should wait. Patience is a virtue. Wait for the ball to become dead," he explained in the same video (2:15).
"Let the batters do whatever they want to do. He should keep his decision reserved and once the ball becomes dead, he should give it out or not out. So if the out is given not out later, whatever happened before that is legit. However, if you are found out, whatever runs you earned won't be counted," the renowned commentator added.
Chopra observed that there was no other way to resolve the issue. He added that although technology was used to correct the wrong decision, it wasn't of any use as Bangladesh lost despite that.
