BCCI a 'long way' from accepting DRS - Richardson

Dave Richardson, the ICC chief executive, has said the BCCI is still a "long way" from accepting the Decision Review System (DRS). In Auckland for the third Test between New Zealand and England, Richardson said persuading India's administrators will take time and that a former player, such as Anil Kumble, could play a role if he could be convinced about the system's benefit.

"They are a long way from saying 'it's a good idea,'" Richardson told Test Match Special. "I don't think it's necessarily only the administrators, say people like Anil Kumble for example. He's going to take some persuading."

India, along with Sri Lanka, were the first users of the DRS in 2008, when Kumble was India's captain. Since technology was not as enhanced as it is now, Richardson said it could take longer to convince the BCCI, the only board not to have accepted DRS. "He [Kumble] was captain of the India team when they first trialled it and the technology wasn't very good. The players weren't used to it so every time the Indians asked for a review it went against them.

"I think it was Sehwag or one of their star batsmen who was given out by mistake by ball-tracking. It's going to take a lot of influencing. So Kumble is a very influential guy in Indian cricket at the moment, he is on their technical committee, their working group. He's also now the chairman of our [ICC] cricket committee. Once these people start to see the benefits of DRS, that influence will probably filter back to the Tendulkars and the Dhonis. And once they are convinced, then the administrators will follow."

Richardson also spoke about the ICC's preparation for the World Test Championship, the first such event, which is expected to be played in the summer of 2017.

"Once the Champions Trophy is finished, we'll then make an effort to really promote the road to the World Test Championship finals," Richardson said. "Every series that gets played [between 2013 and 2017] will essentially be counting to the qualification for the Test championship.

"It's a four-year period. We'll start playing all the Test series in 2013 and around about January 2016 or 2017 will be the cut-off time. The top four at that time will go through to the semi-finals to be played in England in June or July in 2017."

The tournament was initially scheduled for 2013, but was delayed due to the ICC's commitments to its broadcaster and sponsors.