If we are going to refer all the on-field decisions, we will be playing eight-hour T20 games: Anil Kumble

The umpiring has come under severe scanner in the ongoing Indian Premier League (IPL) season. More than anything, the no-ball decisions of the on-field umpires have been glaring and no wonder the quality of the umpires is being questioned. There have been calls for the third umpire to take control of the proceedings when it comes to the no-balls being called. But the former Indian cricketer Anil Kumble is not in favour of the same.

Wrong decisions have led to the players like MS Dhoni and Virat Kohli openly criticising the umpiring standards earlier this season. While Lasith Malinga’s no-ball in the final delivery of the 20th over against RCB, which wasn’t given, turned out to be game-changing, RCB was again at the receiving end during the five-over shoot-out. Nigel Llong adjudged a Umesh Yadav delivery no-ball despite the pacer landing his foot well inside the crease.

Even Dhoni had to storm into the field during the game between CSK and RR when the straight umpire Ulhas Gandhe reversed his first decision of the waist-height no-ball on the square-leg umpire Bruce Oxenford’s insistence.

We will be playing 8-hour T20 games

While speaking to Cricket Next over the umpiring issue, Anil Kumble felt it is not viable to refer every decision or every ball to the third umpire. He also pointed out that time is crucial in a cricket match and it would take a lot of time to even finish a T20 game.

“Now T20 games are finishing four hours from the start of the game. And I know we need to get all the right decisions. But then what happens to the height no-balls. Are we going to refer it to the third umpire? What happens to catches? So every decision made on the field if we are going to refer, then we will be playing eight-hour T20 games,” Kumble said.

The former India head coach also added that the debate is going on only because of Malinga’s last ball no-ball wasn’t given and felt if that wasn’t the last ball of the match, the issue wouldn’t have been discussed at all. “I know you are probably referring to RCB vs MI game but it is tough you know. There are times when the standing umpire doesn’t see the no-ball,” he further said.

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