Indian opener Virender Sehwag has given the thumbs up to the controversial Umpires Decision Review System (UDRS), which has not been favoured even by his idol Sachin Tendulkar, and asked for its implementation in all of India's upcoming engagements including next year's cricket World Cup.
"I am a big fan of the UDRS," Sehwag told reporters in Mumbai. "I want it to be there for the India-New Zealand series, India-South Africa series and in the World Cup," the Sydney Morning Herald quoted Sehwag, as saying.
"This is my personal opinion. I was given out two times when I was not out and in such a situation I could have gone in for a referral that would have that would have helped me continue to bat," he added.
The review system will not be used in India's three-Test series against New Zealand starting in Ahmedabad on Thursday, but a decision is yet to be taken on its implementation for the South Africa tour in December.
However, the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) and most of India's top players, including skipper Mahendra Singh Dhoni and Sachin Tendulkar are not on the same wavelength as that of Sehwag, as far as the implementation of UDRS is concerned.
Both Dhoni and Tendulkar are sceptical of its effectiveness after their first brush with the system during the tour of Sri Lanka in 2008. They struggled with the referrals, getting only one right, while Sri Lanka successfully challenged 11 decisions.
Meanwhile, the International Cricket Council, the game's world governing body, has urged boards to rethink their stand on UDRS.
"A lot of players are happy with the system. The BCCI is still not convinced about the reliability of the technology in the Umpires Decision Review System. But I am confident in due course the BCCI would give consent,” ICC chief executive Haroon Lorgat said at a press conference in Mumbai last week.
“South Africa has used the UDRS three times in their last four Test series against Australia and England at home in 2009, and in the West Indies in June,” he added.
