UDRS – whose responsibility is it anyway?

The implementation of the UDRS continues to generate debate. If the ICC believes the UDRS is needed for cricket to progress then it should get all its members to toe the line, writes Sa'adi Thawfeeq in The Nation. He says a rule should be either mandatory or not exist at all.

What has happened with the UDRS today is that there has been no consistency of its use in Test cricket. While some countries are for it like Sri Lanka, there are others like India who are against it. In such circumstances where does the ICC draw the line? It cannot just leave it hanging loosely hoping that all Test playing countries will one day come to some form of agreement and use it constantly. As the governing body the ICC has its responsibilities to ensure that once it takes a decision it is mandatory to all and sundry, not leave it in the hands of the host country to convince their opponents of the merits of the system.