For the first time ever, the Decision Review System (DRS) is set to be implemented in the Ranji Trophy tournament when Saurashtra are up against Gujarat in the semifinal of the country’s premier domestic league competition, starting in Rajkot on Saturday.
Notably, each of the two teams will be given as many as four referrals per innings. However, the DRS used in the match will not include Hawk-Eye and Ultra Edge, which are two of the main components of the DRS which is used in international games.
“First time in Ranji Trophy, Umpire Decision Review System (DRS) is being introduced. Semi-final matches and final match of Ranji Trophy 2019-20 will have DRS system,” Saurashtra Cricket Association said in a media release on Tuesday.
Earlier, BCCI’s general manager of cricket Saba Karim stated that the limited use of DRS had clarified that the limited use of DRS was planned for the Ranji Trophy semifinals and not from the knockout stages of the tournament which also includes the quarterfinals.
The decision to introduce DRS was taken after umpires committed a few blunders in the previous editions of the tournament. The semifinal is scheduled to be held at SCA Stadium in Khandheri.
“In each innings, each team shall be allowed to make a maximum of four player review. Where a request for a player review results in the original on-field decision being reversed, then the Player Review shall be categorised as successful and shall not count towards the innings limit,” the release stated.
Notably, this is Saurashtra’s sixth appearance in a Ranji Trophy semi-final. The other semi-final match will be played between Karnataka and Bengal.