Hesson calls for DRS

The Black Caps crashed to another series defeat in India on Monday when the hosts wrapped up the second Test in the three-match series in Kolkata with a day to spare. 

The Board of Control for Cricket in India does not allow the use of DRS in bilateral matches involving its national team, the only nation to hold that stance. 

“The intensity of the game over here is great but there does become frustration and perhaps anger at times and DRS takes that away from the game,” Hesson said on Tuesday. “If you feel that you are hard done by, you have a chance to do something about it. Without DRS you can complain a lot and I don’t think that is good for the game. 

“The game is played in great spirit until people feel like it’s unjust, that leads to anger and aggression and that’s not good for the game. DRS is good for everyone.”

There had been 25 LBWs in the first two matches, 14 in India’s 197-run win in Kanpur and 11 in their 178-run victory at Kolkata’s Eden Gardens. Of those 25, 18 had been awarded against New Zealand, with India’s world-class spin duo Ravi Ashwin and Ravindra Jadeja collecting five apiece. 

Regularly causing trouble for the Kiwi batsmen, the pair had also taken 15 other wickets with other modes of dismissal. 

After ruling out using DRS in their matches for so long, most often putting it down to their lack of faith in the ball-tracking part of the system, it did appear India may soon be ready to join the rest of cricket’s top-tier nations.