Australian captain Tim Paine has questioned the accuracy of the decision review system after a series of contentious calls in Adelaide.
Having lost the opening Test against India, the Australians will head to Perth on Tuesday for this week's second Test with much on their minds, including dealing with the frustration of the technology used to review umpiring decisions.
Tim Paine and the Australians react to Cheteshwar Pujara’s successful review.Credit:AAP
Umpire Nigel Llong was at the centre of several questionable calls. He gave Ajinkya Rahane out caught at bat-pad for 17 early on Sunday but the decision was overturned on review. Replays indicated the ball had hit Rahane's front pad outside the line of off stump and missed his bat and gloves.
First-innings century maker Cheteshwar Pujara was adjudged out on eight and 17 to Lyon on Saturday but the dismissals were overturned.
The hotspot technology showed no contact with bat or gloves in his first dismissal while the second was particularly frustrating for Lyon and the Australians, as the batsman had not offered a shot. However, replays suggested the ball would have gone over the bails.
Paine was not keen to elaborate on his displeasure about the DRS but his frustration was clear. He initially said the calls had been "interesting," then when later asked why DRS was interesting, he added: "I think everything. I don't want to talk about DRS. It's just – it is what it is. A lot of balls seem to be going over the top of the stumps, I know that, that live don't look like they are. So yeah, it is what it is."
Paine said he felt it was difficult for the ball tracking system to adjust to the changing state of the pitch as the match unfolded. The level of bounce is typically lower as the game progresses.
"I think so. And look, it's not a perfect system and I haven't got the answers. It's just frustrating, I'd imagine it's frustrating for everyone. But it is what it is," he said.
Usman Khawaja was also given out on Friday but the decision was overturned.
Aaron Finch has been encouraged to use the DRS should he again have doubts about his dismissal.
The opening batsman opted not to call for a replay after he was caught in close off spinner Ravi Ashwin on the final ball before tea on Sunday in Australia's second innings. Finch consulted partner Marcus Harris before opting to walk.
Replays suggested the ball had not flicked the gloves although third umpire Chris Gaffaney had later told Lyon there was inconclusive evidence to overturn the decision, meaning Finch would still have been out had he asked for a replay.
"It's one of those things. You can't do much about it. We've been told Aaron's for instance would still not have been overturned. Yeah, the DRS is interesting," Paine said.
"It's a bit different when the batters are out there, it's up to those two, isn't it? Aaron felt something on his glove, it ended up being his pad, that can happen.
"From a bowling and in-the-field perspective, we've got a process we go through with myself and the bowler. Nathan Lyon's at point a lot, he gives us the indication of height. You have to take everyone's piece of information and make good decisions. We got a couple wrong but that can happen."
Finch had earlier referred a lbw verdict in the first over of the innings, avoiding an inglorious pair because replays showed Ishant Sharma had overstepped the popping crease.
The DRS was introduced into Test cricket in 2008 but India had refused for eight years for it to be used in any series they were involved in because they felt it was unreliable. However, under skipper Virat Kohli, they agreed to change in 2016.
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