Dhoni’s UDRS reservation

Mahendra Singh Dhoni was an ardent footballer, a goalkeeper to be specific, before turning to cricket. No wonder the India captain and the head of European football's governing body are almost on the same page when it comes to the use of technology in sport supervision.

Mahendra Singh Dhoni was an ardent footballer, a goalkeeper to be specific, before turning to cricket. No wonder the India captain and the head of European football's governing body are almost on the same page when it comes to the use of technology in sport supervision.

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UEFA chief, Michel Platini, recently denounced goalline technology, saying it would reduce the game to 'Playstation football'. On Wednesday, Dhoni said the Umpires Decision Referral System (UDRS) wasn't acceptable to him unless it guaranteed 100 % accuracy.

"I don't think it gives cent per cent result. It's not always correct. If I am going to buy a life jacket, I want to be assured that it comes with a warranty. Similarly, I would prefer some sort warranty with it (UDRS). Otherwise, it's a bit of a hassle for me, especially with the huge amount of money you have to spend on it," said Dhoni.

Football is the only major global sport, which has kept the use of technology away from the touchline when it comes to judging the verdict of match supervisors. Tennis has a system similar to the UDRS wherein the players can challenge the umpire's decision thrice in a set.

Dhoni, however, demanded that the umpires must get it correct more often. "You have two gentlemen as umpires who are professionals. They also have the support of the third umpire. There have been a few mistakes and it's surprising to see the umpires making those mistakes. They could have been avoided if UDRS was there, but does that give the umpires the liberty to give bad decisions?"

The BCCI has been vehemently against the UDRS ever since India got their first taste of it on the tour of Sri Lanka in 2008. Among players, Sachin Tendulkar has spoken against it, while Virender Sehwag has gone public in his support for the system. Dhoni's remarks make it 2-1 as far as Indian heavyweights are concerned.