Joe Root fell to an umpiring blunder in the final over in Nagpur © AFP
Joe Root, who was incorrectly adjudged lbw in the last over of a nerve-wracking chase in Nagpur, has said that the introduction of DRS in Twenty20 cricket could help prevent such umpiring errors. Root echoed his captain Eoin Morgan’s frustration with the umpiring decisions that went against England in their five-run loss, which left the scoreline at 1-1.
England needed eight runs off six balls when Root inside-edged an attempted pull onto his back thigh. Umpire C Shamshuddin did not spot the nick and ruled him out. Root walked off fuming and after his dismissal England managed only one run and a bye and also lost Jos Buttler off the last over, bowled by Jasprit Bumrah.
Shamshuddin’s other error of the day – he handed India’s captain Virat Kohli a reprieve on 7 when he was pinned in front by Chris Jordan in the third over of the match – cost England 14 runs.
“It was frustrating and there were obviously decisions throughout the game that went against us, which could be crucial,” Root said on the eve of the series-deciding T20I in Bangalore. “It’s time now for some sort of DRS in Twenty20 cricket.”
The flip-side is that DRS would slow down the tempo of T20 cricket, but Root proposed a review for each team, in line with the regulations for one-day internationals.
“I know you want to keep the speed of the game, but with such small margins it is important to get things right with bat and ball,” Root said. “If you miss a yorker, you disappear out of the park and that can change a game because of how quick and short the format is. It is just as important to get the right decisions from the umpires as well. It will be quite nice to see maybe just one review for each side in my opinion but we are where we are at the moment.”
Root hopes the suggestion will be considered at the ICC’s four-day quarterly meeting in Dubai, which begins this Thursday.
“I’d like to think it will be raised by a few different members at the ICC meeting. If it isn’t, then I am not an official of the game. I don’t know what is best for the sport. I am only offering my opinion. I can’t speak on the behalf of rest of world cricket and even for the rest of my team, but you know that’s something I believe in. I am sure there are others who can agree with me.”
Umpire Shamshuddin, seen here during the Women’s World Cup, is now sheltering from criticism, not rain © ICC
Much like Morgan, Root did not have sympathy for the home umpires who were officiating in front of a packed crowd in Nagpur, but said he would have no protests if Shamshuddin officiates in future games involving England. Shamshuddin, in fact, will be the on-field umpire for the Bangalore T20 international along with Anil Chaudhary.
“I have no problem with him umpiring in any of our future games,” Root said. “As a player obviously you are going to make mistakes, you are going to get things wrong. As an umpire you are going to do exactly the same thing… If that [umpiring error] was at a major tournament and we get knocked out of the semi-final or lose a final from a decision that does go against us we feel bitterly disappointed and I don’t think it would fair on him as an umpire standing in that game to have to deal with the aftermath as well. I am just trying to think of the best solution for everyone, every party involved.”
Root stressed that he had no wish to make Shamshuddin feel slighted or criticised for his errors.
“Umpires are as much under scrutiny as we are. If you make consistent errors, you get found out and you might lose your international status. I don’t think that’s for us to worry about as players and we know that the best umpires available are going to stand in games for us.
“So, it would be wrong to make him feel uncomfortable – or unfair. He should be allowed to do his job as we are ours. I think he will be under enough pressure – external pressures from what happened the other night – anyway.”
Root, though, chose not to take the gloss off India’s death bowling and was especially warm in his praise for Bumrah, who closed out the game for India with pinpoint yorkers and well-disguised cutters.
“I don’t want it to overshadow the way the Indian bowlers bowled at the back end there,” Root said. “I thought they played exceptionally well and Bumrah deserves a lot of credit for the way he held his nerve; he defended seven in the last over.”
England have a chance to secure their first limited-overs series win in India since 1984 on Wednesday, and Root said the decider in Bangalore would tune up the side for the Champions Trophy, which is five months away.
“It was probably frustrating and disappointing to finish the way it did,” he said. “But we have an opportunity to put that right now in the final game of the series. It will be good pressure for what will be an excitable and entertaining crowd. It will be a great preparation for major tournaments.”
Deivarayan Muthu is a sub-editor at ESPNcricinfo
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Source: ESPN Crickinfo