DRS in Cricket Explained: How Reviews and Umpire’s Call Work
Few moments in modern cricket create more tension than a captain forming a T sign with both arms after an umpire says “not out.”
The stadium screen changes.
Players wait.
Television viewers see slow-motion replays.
UltraEdge examines whether the ball touched the bat. Ball-tracking reconstructs the delivery. The third umpire works through the evidence before the on-field umpire finally raises a finger, crosses the arms for not out, or sticks with the original decision.
That entire process is part of DRS in cricket.
DRS stands for Decision Review System. The International Cricket Council defines it as a technology-based process designed to assist match officials with decision-making.
DRS has two major parts.
An Umpire Review happens when an on-field umpire asks the third umpire for assistance in situations permitted by the playing conditions.
A Player Review happens when a batter or fielding captain challenges an eligible decision made by the on-field umpire.
The system can use television replays, stump-microphone audio, ball-tracking technology, edge-detection systems and other approved tools.
But DRS in cricket does not replace umpires.
It adds another layer of evidence.
That distinction becomes particularly important with LBW decisions and the famous—and frequently misunderstood—Umpire’s Call.
For readers learning the wider rules, formats, dismissals and terminology behind the sport, start with The News Ink’s Cricket Guide.
DRS in Cricket at a Glance
| Question | Current Answer |
|---|---|
| DRS full form | Decision Review System |
| Main purpose | Assist officials and review eligible decisions |
| Who reviews decisions? | Third umpire |
| Player Review signal | T sign with both forearms |
| Review request time | Maximum 15 seconds |
| Warning point | Umpire prompts after 10 seconds |
| Test unsuccessful reviews | 3 per team per innings |
| ODI unsuccessful reviews | 2 per team per innings |
| T20I unsuccessful reviews | 2 per team per innings |
| Successful review | Review retained |
| Umpire’s Call | Original LBW decision remains; review retained |
| Main LBW technology | Approved ball-tracking |
| Edge technology | UltraEdge or Real-Time Snickometer |
| Other permitted technology | Replays, stump audio, Hot Spot where available |
| Who can review an “Out”? | Batter involved |
| Who can review a “Not out”? | Fielding captain or acting captain |
| Timed Out reviewable? | No under Player Review procedure |
These numbers reflect the ICC men’s playing conditions effective October 2026. Individual domestic competitions may use their own playing conditions.
1. What Is DRS in Cricket?
DRS in cricket is a formal process through which technology and the third umpire can assist with decisions made on the field.
The ICC divides the system into:
Umpire Reviews
and
Player Reviews.
That difference is important.
Players do not control every television referral.
An umpire can independently send certain decisions upstairs—for example, a close run-out or stumping.
A player review is different because the batting or fielding side actively challenges an on-field decision.
The third umpire then examines the available evidence according to a formal sequence established in the playing conditions.
The final decision is communicated back to the on-field umpire.
2. What Is a Player Review?
A Player Review is what most fans mean when they say:
“Take DRS.”
Suppose a bowler appeals for LBW.
The umpire says:
Not out.
The fielding captain believes the decision is wrong.
The captain can request a review.
Under the current ICC Test playing conditions, only the captain or acting captain of the fielding side can request a Player Review of a Not out decision.
If the umpire gives a batter out, only the batter involved can request the Player Review.
ICC — Current Men’s Test Playing Conditions
Players cannot simply ask the third umpire to examine any event they dislike.
The review must fall within the eligible dismissal framework.
3. How Does a Player Ask for DRS?
The player forms a T sign using both forearms around head height.
Timing matters.
Under current ICC conditions, the review must normally be requested within 15 seconds after the ball becomes dead.
The bowler’s-end umpire gives the relevant player a prompt after 10 seconds if no review has yet been requested.
If the request comes too late, the umpires can reject it.
This time restriction is an important part of DRS in cricket because teams are supposed to make the decision based on what their players saw on the field.
They are not supposed to wait for outside assistance.
The ICC rules specifically restrict players from receiving information from the dressing room before choosing whether to review.
Replays are also not supposed to be shown to spectators on the big screen before the review window expires.
4. Can Players Discuss Whether to Review?
Yes.
The fielding captain can consult:
the bowler;
wicketkeeper;
other fielders.
Batters can consult each other.
This often produces some of the most interesting tactical conversations in cricket.
The wicketkeeper might say:
“I heard something.”
The bowler may believe:
“That is hitting middle.”
A close fielder could disagree.
The captain then has only seconds to decide whether the review is worth risking.
This is why DRS in cricket is partly about technology and partly about judgment.
A team can have perfect technology available but waste its reviews through poor decisions.
5. How Many DRS Reviews Does a Team Get?
This is an area where older articles often contain outdated numbers.
Under the October 2026 ICC men’s playing conditions, each team can have the following number of unsuccessful Player Reviews per innings:
| Format | Unsuccessful Reviews Allowed |
|---|---|
| Test | 3 |
| ODI | 2 |
| T20I | 2 |
The current ICC Test conditions explicitly allow three unsuccessful reviews per innings. The current ODI and T20I conditions allow two unsuccessful reviews per innings.
These are not simply three or two total review attempts.
A successful review does not count against the limit.
That distinction changes how DRS in cricket works strategically.
6. What Happens After a Successful Review?
Suppose the umpire says not out.
The fielding team reviews.
Ball-tracking shows:
pitching in line;
impact in line;
hitting the wicket.
The third umpire determines that the original decision should be changed to out.
The review is classified as Successful.
The team keeps its review allowance.
In other words, teams are penalized primarily for unsuccessful challenges, not for correctly identifying umpiring mistakes.
That encourages players to challenge decisions when they have strong evidence.
7. What Happens After an Unsuccessful Review?
Suppose the fielding captain reviews an LBW decision.
Ball-tracking shows the delivery missing the stumps.
The original not-out decision remains.
That review is unsuccessful.
The team loses one of its available unsuccessful reviews.
If enough poor challenges accumulate, the team eventually loses the ability to request further Player Reviews during that innings.
This is why captains often become more conservative later in an innings.
A speculative review in the 10th over can become expensive if a genuine mistake occurs in the 45th.
In Test cricket, review management can become even more important because an innings may last for hours or days.
The News Ink’s coverage of England vs Pakistan Test cricket shows how a single wicket can significantly change the momentum of a long-format match. DRS in cricket remains so fascinating.
8. What Is Umpire’s Call?
Umpire’s Call is probably the most misunderstood part of DRS in cricket.
Imagine an umpire gives a batter not out LBW.
The fielding team reviews.
Ball-tracking predicts that part of the ball would have clipped the stump.
Many viewers naturally ask:
If the ball is hitting the stump, why is the batter still not out?
Because the ICC distinguishes between a clear ball-tracking result and a marginal result that remains within the original umpire’s decision.
Under the current playing conditions, the wicket result can be categorized as:
Hitting
Umpire’s Call
or
Missing.
For the wicket projection, Hitting means the projected ball is hitting the wicket and the centre of the ball is inside the defined Wicket Zone.
Umpire’s Call means the projected ball is hitting the wicket, but the centre of the ball is not inside that zone.
Missing means the ball is projected to miss.
9. Why Does Umpire’s Call Exist?
Ball-tracking is sophisticated, but it is still a reconstruction and prediction.
Before hitting the batter, the cameras track the actual ball.
After the interception, the system must estimate where the ball would have travelled if the batter had not stopped it.
The farther the remaining projected path, the more important modelling becomes.
Umpire’s Call preserves the original umpire’s judgment in these marginal cases.
It does not mean:
“The computer failed.”
It means the evidence was not strong enough under the DRS protocol to overturn the original call.
This explains a situation that often confuses viewers.
The same projected ball can result in:
Out
in one match situation;
and
Not out
in another.
If the original umpire said out and the tracking result remains within Umpire’s Call, the batter stays out.
If the original umpire said not out and the same type of marginal projection produces Umpire’s Call, the batter stays not out.
The original decision controls the borderline case.
10. Do You Lose a Review on Umpire’s Call?
No—when an LBW review remains unchanged solely because of Umpire’s Call, the review does not count as unsuccessful under current ICC conditions.
This was introduced to make the system fairer.
The team challenged a decision that turned out to be genuinely marginal rather than clearly wrong.
Therefore:
decision stays
but
review is retained.
This distinction is extremely important for understanding DRS in cricket.
Umpire’s Call does not mean the reviewing team “lost” in the normal sense.
The original call remains, but the review allowance survives.
11. What Does “Pitching” Mean in an LBW Review?
Before deciding whether the ball would hit the wicket, the third umpire must consider the normal requirements of the LBW law.
One important question is:
Where did the ball pitch?
Under the LBW law, a delivery that pitches outside the batter’s leg stump cannot result in LBW.
A ball can pitch:
In Line
Outside Off
or
Outside Leg.
Pitching outside off stump does not automatically prevent an LBW dismissal.
Pitching outside leg does.
The MCC Laws provide the underlying LBW framework, while the ICC DRS protocol explains how ball-tracking evidence is interpreted during reviews.
12. What Does “Impact” Mean?
Impact means where the ball first struck the batter.
Normally, if the batter made a genuine attempt to play the ball, the impact must be in line with the wickets for an LBW dismissal.
However, the law treats a batter differently when there is no genuine attempt to play the ball with the bat.
In that situation, impact outside off stump can still result in LBW if the other legal conditions are satisfied.
The DRS protocol therefore asks not only:
Where did the ball hit the batter?
It may also need to consider:
Was the batter genuinely attempting a shot?
This remains partly an umpiring judgment.
Technology helps answer geometric questions.
It does not eliminate every human decision.
13. What Does “Hitting the Wickets” Mean?
This is the final projected component of a normal LBW review.
Ball-tracking uses the measured path of the delivery to predict where the ball would have travelled after striking the batter.
Under the current ICC definition, the Wicket Zone covers the outline of the wicket from the base through the stumps and the bails.
The system then categorizes the projected result as:
Hitting;
Umpire’s Call;
Missing.
If the original decision was Not out, the tracking generally needs to report Hitting for the decision to be overturned to out, subject to the other LBW requirements.
If the original decision was Out, the tracking needs to show Missing for that part of the decision to be overturned.
This is why the original call matters.
14. Ball-Tracking Does Not Literally See the Future
One popular misconception about DRS in cricket is that Hawk-Eye somehow photographs the ball travelling through the batter and into the stumps.
It cannot.
The actual ball has already hit the batter.
The system tracks the delivery before interception and then models the continuation of its path.
Approved ICC ball-tracking systems include:
Hawk-Eye
and
VirtualEye.
The third umpire sees information about:
where the delivery landed;
where it first intercepted the batter;
whether its projected path would hit the wicket.
Calling it a prediction does not mean it is a random guess.
It is a measurement-based technological projection.
15. What Is UltraEdge?
UltraEdge is an approved sound-based edge-detection technology used during DRS.
It helps determine whether the ball made contact with the bat or sometimes another relevant object.
The system synchronizes audio information with video.
On television, viewers normally see a waveform.
If the ball passes near the bat and a spike appears at the relevant moment, the third umpire examines whether the evidence supports an edge.
The current ICC protocols list approved sound-based systems including:
UltraEdge
and
Real-Time Snickometer.
ICC — Player Review Technology
UltraEdge is especially important for:
caught-behind reviews;
LBW reviews where bat-before-pad must be checked;
other possible contact decisions.
16. Does Every Spike Mean the Ball Hit the Bat?
No.
The third umpire does not simply look for any sound spike.
Cricket produces noise.
The bat can hit:
the ground;
the pad;
equipment.
Multiple events can happen within fractions of a second.
The third umpire therefore synchronizes:
video;
sound;
ball position.
A spike only becomes useful when it corresponds meaningfully with the ball passing the relevant object.
That is why some reviews take longer than viewers expect.
The third umpire is trying to determine the source and timing of the sound rather than merely looking for a line on a screen.
17. What Is Hot Spot?
Hot Spot is another technology permitted under ICC DRS protocols when available.
It uses infrared imaging to identify heat signatures produced by contact.
A ball striking the bat can sometimes create a visible mark.
Hot Spot may assist with extremely fine edges.
However, DRS technology packages vary between matches and competitions.
The ICC’s minimum DRS requirements include approved ball-tracking and approved sound-based edge detection, while other technologies may also be available.
That means DRS in cricket is not necessarily technologically identical at every venue.
18. What Technology Can the Third Umpire Use?
Current ICC DRS protocols permit the third umpire to use technologies including:
television replays at different speeds;
stump-microphone sound;
Hawk-Eye or VirtualEye ball-tracking;
UltraEdge or Real-Time Snickometer;
Hot Spot where provided;
LED wicket information.
The ICC can also approve other technologies if they meet required standards for accuracy and speed.
This is important because DRS is a system, not one piece of technology.
Hawk-Eye is not DRS.
UltraEdge is not DRS.
The third umpire is not DRS.
They are components within the broader decision-review process.
19. What Is an Umpire Review?
Not every third-umpire decision costs a team a review.
On-field umpires have their own referral powers.
An umpire may refer or consult on eligible situations such as:
run-outs;
stumpings;
certain hit-wicket or bowled situations;
fair catches;
bump balls;
boundary questions;
other situations defined by the playing conditions.
This is an Umpire Review.
It is different from a Player Review.
The team does not “spend” one of its reviews simply because the on-field umpire asks the third umpire to examine a close run-out.
This distinction is fundamental to DRS in cricket.
20. How Does DRS Work for a Run-Out?
Run-outs can depend on incredibly small margins.
The third umpire examines replay angles to determine:
whether the wicket was fairly broken;
when the wicket was broken;
whether the batter had made their ground.
Modern frame-by-frame footage can reveal differences of centimeters or less.
The underlying Laws determine what counts as the wicket being fairly broken and whether the batter is inside the ground.
The third umpire applies those rules using the available video evidence.
Technology does not invent the rule.
It provides evidence for applying it.
This distinction also matters in wider umpiring controversies. The News Ink’s coverage of Usman Tariq’s bowling-action debate similarly shows why technology must always be interpreted through the actual cricket regulations.
21. How Does DRS Work for a Stumping?
Stumping reviews often involve two questions.
First:
Did the batter make contact with the ball?
Second:
Was the batter outside the crease when the wicket was broken?
The third umpire can examine side-on and other camera angles frame by frame.
The position of the bat or foot relative to the crease can matter by millimeters.
Stumpings therefore demonstrate one area where television review is particularly valuable.
An on-field umpire may have to simultaneously watch:
the delivery;
the batter;
the wicketkeeper;
the crease.
The replay can slow the entire event down.
22. Can DRS Review a Caught-Behind Decision?
Yes.
A caught-behind decision is one of the most common reasons a batter or fielding captain uses DRS in cricket.
Suppose the umpire gives the batter out.
The batter believes the ball missed the bat.
The batter reviews.
The third umpire can examine replay angles and approved edge-detection technology.
If the evidence clearly shows no contact, the decision can be reversed.
The reverse can also happen.
An umpire says not out.
The fielding team reviews because the wicketkeeper believes the batter edged the ball.
UltraEdge can help establish contact.
These decisions are often less complicated than LBW because there is normally no projected future ball path.
The third umpire is examining an event that actually occurred.
23. Can Every Dismissal Be Reviewed?
Not through a Player Review.
Under the current ICC Test conditions, a player can request review of decisions concerning whether a batter was dismissed except Timed Out.
The playing conditions define the eligible process precisely.
That means DRS should not be interpreted as:
“Anything that happened can be challenged.”
Only eligible decisions can enter the formal Player Review process.
This protects the match from becoming an endless replay contest.
24. Can a Review Be Withdrawn?
No.
Once a valid Player Review request has been made, the request cannot simply be withdrawn because teammates suddenly change their minds.
That rule prevents strategic manipulation after the process has already begun.
Players therefore need to decide carefully before forming the T signal.
A last-second review based purely on desperation can cost the team later.
25. What Happens if DRS Technology Fails?
Technology can fail.
A camera angle may be unavailable.
Tracking may not produce reliable information.
An edge-detection system may have a problem.
Current ICC conditions give the Match Referee discretion to reinstate an unsuccessful review when the review could not properly be completed because of a technological failure.
However, a review is not automatically restored simply because one technology failed.
If the correct decision could still be reached through other available evidence, the result may stand.
Likewise, an inconclusive result from technology that operated correctly does not automatically return an unsuccessful review.
This nuance shows that DRS in cricket has contingency rules for imperfect technology.
26. Has DRS Technology Ever Made a Mistake?
Yes.
Technology and its operation are not infallible.
A notable example occurred during the 2024 Pakistan Super League when Hawk-Eye acknowledged that incorrect ball-tracking data had been displayed during a review involving Rilee Rossouw.
Hawk-Eye said the underlying delivery had been correctly tracked but operator error resulted in the wrong tracking information being shown.
The Pakistan Super League later published Hawk-Eye’s acknowledgment.
PSL — Hawk-Eye Admits DRS Error
Cases like this are rare but important.
They demonstrate why cricket needs:
technology standards;
trained operators;
third umpires;
technical officials;
procedures.
The aim is to reduce errors, not pretend errors have become impossible.
27. Why Has DRS Been Controversial?
Part of the controversy comes from expectations.
Some fans expect technology to create mathematical certainty.
Cricket does not always provide that.
A catch may involve unclear camera depth.
An edge can be extremely faint.
Ball-tracking includes projection.
Different camera frame rates can affect what viewers perceive around a run-out.
Then there is Umpire’s Call.
A ball that appears to hit the stump on screen can still leave the original not-out decision unchanged.
Fans sometimes interpret that as inconsistency.
But it is actually a deliberate part of the DRS rules.
The system distinguishes between:
clear evidence sufficient to overturn an umpire;
and
marginal evidence where the on-field call remains.
28. Why Is DRS Particularly Important in India vs Pakistan Matches?
Every review matters more when the match already carries enormous pressure.
An LBW decision in an ordinary bilateral match can create debate.
The same decision in an India-Pakistan World Cup match can become an international sporting discussion.
The News Ink’s India vs Pakistan Cricket Rivalry explains why tournament meetings between the two teams attract unusually intense attention.
DRS gives players a formal process to challenge important decisions rather than leaving every close call entirely with the on-field umpire.
But technology can also increase tension because fans see every replay, every waveform and every millimeter of ball-tracking.
The more information viewers receive, the more confidently they sometimes disagree.
29. DRS Has Changed Captaincy
Before DRS, a captain appealed and accepted the umpire’s answer.
Now captains need another skill:
review management.
A captain must judge:
the bowler’s confidence;
wicketkeeper’s view;
ball trajectory;
match situation;
reviews remaining.
Imagine a team has one review left.
The bowler is extremely confident about an LBW.
The wicketkeeper thinks the ball was going down leg.
Should the captain risk it?
That choice can influence the next hour of the match.
DRS therefore added an entirely new tactical layer to cricket captaincy.
30. Wicketkeepers Have Become Crucial to DRS Strategy
Wicketkeepers often have one of the best views on the field.
They can judge:
whether the ball carried;
whether there was an edge;
approximate line;
sometimes height.
Against spin bowling, the wicketkeeper may be essential in deciding both LBW and caught-behind reviews.
That is why viewers frequently see captains immediately turning toward the wicketkeeper after an appeal.
The bowler may be emotionally convinced.
The keeper often provides a calmer angle.
Good DRS teams combine information quickly.
31. Bowlers Are Often the Worst People to Ask
This is partly a joke in cricket—but it contains tactical truth.
A bowler desperately wants the wicket.
From the release position, the delivery may look perfectly straight.
The bowler appeals.
The umpire says not out.
Immediately:
“Review it!”
Then Hawk-Eye shows the ball missing leg stump by several centimeters.
Captains learn which bowlers are reliable judges of their own LBW appeals and which are permanently convinced every delivery is hitting middle stump.
That human element keeps DRS in cricket entertaining.
The technology may be sophisticated.
The decision to activate it happens through people under pressure.
32. DRS Has Changed Batting Too
Batters also need review awareness.
A batter given LBW must quickly decide:
Did I edge it?
Was the impact outside the line?
Was it too high?
Was it sliding down leg?
If a batter knows there was an inside edge, reviewing is usually straightforward.
A speculative LBW review is more difficult.
The batting partner can help.
Sometimes the non-striker has a better view of line or height.
But communication has to happen quickly because of the 15-second deadline.
33. Review Strategy Changes by Format
A review in Test cricket does not have exactly the same tactical value as one in T20.
Tests may last five days.
A team can face hundreds of deliveries in an innings.
Preserving reviews becomes extremely valuable.
Current ICC men’s Tests therefore allow three unsuccessful Player Reviews per innings.
ODIs and T20Is use two.
In a T20 match, every wicket can dramatically change a chase, so captains may use reviews more aggressively.
The structure of the format affects how DRS in cricket is managed.
For a broader explanation of Tests, ODIs and T20s, see The News Ink’s Cricket Guide.
34. DRS Is Part of a Much Bigger Technology Shift in Sport
Cricket is not alone.
Football uses VAR.
Tennis uses electronic line calling.
Athletics uses electronic timing.
Baseball increasingly uses tracking and replay technologies.
The News Ink’s Sports Training Technology Guide explores how cameras, tracking systems, sensors and analytics now influence elite sport.
DRS is one of cricket’s most visible examples.
It uses technology not only to analyze performance but to influence official match decisions.
That gives it far greater consequences than an ordinary statistics graphic.
DRS in Cricket: Step-by-Step Review Process
A typical Player Review works like this:
Step 1 — On-field decision
The umpire gives out or not out.
Step 2 — Players decide
The batter or fielding captain considers whether to challenge.
Step 3 — T signal
The eligible player requests DRS within 15 seconds.
Step 4 — Third umpire receives review
The on-field umpire communicates with the third umpire.
Step 5 — Relevant checks begin
The third umpire examines the delivery and available evidence.
Step 6 — Replays and technology are used
Depending on the dismissal, this could include UltraEdge, ball-tracking and multiple video angles.
Step 7 — Third umpire reaches conclusion
The third umpire communicates whether the original decision should remain or change.
Step 8 — On-field umpire gives final signal
The original decision is confirmed or revoked.
Step 9 — Review status is updated
Successful reviews are retained. Ordinary unsuccessful reviews reduce the allowance. Umpire’s Call does not cost the team its review.
LBW DRS in Simple Terms
For a normal LBW review, think of four major questions:
| Question | Why It Matters |
|---|---|
| Did the ball hit the bat first? | If yes, normal LBW is not possible |
| Where did the ball pitch? | Outside leg prevents LBW |
| Where was the impact? | Depends on line and whether a shot was attempted |
| Would the ball hit the wicket? | Ball-tracking determines Hitting, Umpire’s Call or Missing |
This makes LBW the most technologically complex common dismissal review.
DRS in Cricket: Common Misconceptions
“If Hawk-Eye Shows the Ball Hitting the Stump, It Must Be Out”
Not always.
Umpire’s Call may preserve the original decision.
“Umpire’s Call Means the Technology Is Wrong”
No.
It represents a defined marginal category where the original decision remains.
“Teams Lose a Review on Umpire’s Call”
Not under current ICC conditions when the LBW decision remains unchanged solely because of Umpire’s Call.
“Every Third-Umpire Decision Uses a Team Review”
No.
Umpire Reviews are separate.
“UltraEdge Automatically Decides Whether the Batter Hit It”
No.
The third umpire interprets synchronized audio and video evidence.
“DRS Can Review Anything”
No.
Player Reviews operate within defined eligibility rules.
“Technology Has Removed Human Umpires”
No.
Human umpires remain central to both the original decision and the review process.
Frequently Asked Questions
What does DRS stand for in cricket?
DRS stands for Decision Review System.
What is DRS in cricket?
DRS in cricket is a technology-assisted decision process that allows eligible umpiring decisions to be examined by the third umpire using replays and approved technology. DRS in cricket remains so fascinating.
How many reviews are allowed in Test cricket?
Under the current October 2026 ICC men’s Test playing conditions, each team can have up to three unsuccessful Player Reviews per innings.
How many DRS reviews are allowed in ODI cricket?
Current ICC men’s ODI conditions allow two unsuccessful reviews per team per innings.
How many DRS reviews are allowed in T20 cricket?
Current ICC men’s T20I conditions allow two unsuccessful reviews per team per innings.
How long does a player have to request DRS?
Normally no more than 15 seconds after the ball becomes dead. The umpire prompts the player after 10 seconds if a review has not yet been requested.
Who can ask for DRS?
For an out decision, the batter involved may request a Player Review. For a not-out decision, the fielding captain or acting captain may request it.
What is Umpire’s Call?
Umpire’s Call is a marginal LBW ball-tracking category in which the evidence is not sufficient under the protocol to overturn the original umpire’s decision. DRS in cricket remains so fascinating.
Is a review lost on Umpire’s Call?
No. If the original LBW decision remains unchanged solely because of Umpire’s Call, the review does not count as unsuccessful.
What is Hawk-Eye?
Hawk-Eye is an ICC-approved ball-tracking technology that tracks the delivery and helps determine pitching, impact and the projected path toward the wicket.
What is UltraEdge?
UltraEdge is an approved sound-based edge-detection system that synchronizes audio information with video to help identify possible contact. DRS in cricket remains so fascinating.
What is Hot Spot?
Hot Spot uses infrared imaging to identify heat generated by contact and may be used where the technology is available.
Can DRS check run-outs?
Third umpires can review close run-outs through the Umpire Review process using replay footage.
Can DRS review caught-behind decisions?
Yes. Player Reviews can be used for eligible caught decisions, with replays and edge-detection technology helping the third umpire.
Can a team ask the dressing room whether to review?
No. Players are not supposed to receive direct or indirect outside assistance when deciding whether to request a Player Review. DRS in cricket remains so fascinating.
Can a review be cancelled after the T signal?
No. Under current ICC conditions, a valid Player Review cannot be withdrawn once requested.
Is DRS always correct?
DRS improves the evidence available to officials, but technology, operators and interpretation are not infallible. Formal procedures exist to manage technical failures.
Who makes the final DRS decision?
The third umpire reviews the evidence and communicates the conclusion, after which the relevant on-field umpire gives the official final signal. DRS in cricket remains so fascinating.
DRS in Cricket Has Improved Decision-Making Without Removing the Umpire
The purpose of DRS in cricket was never to prove that human umpires are unnecessary.
It exists because cricket contains decisions that are extraordinarily difficult to make in real time.
A fast bowler can deliver the ball above 140 km/h.
The batter moves.
The bat moves.
The pad moves.
The ball may deviate from the pitch.
The wicketkeeper catches it.
The fielders appeal.
The umpire has only moments to decide.
Was there an edge?
Did it hit pad first?
Was impact outside off?
Would it have gone over the stumps?
At normal speed, these are difficult questions.
Technology provides a second look.
UltraEdge can reveal contact that was almost impossible to hear from the middle.
Slow-motion footage can separate bat from pad.
Multiple cameras can determine whether a batter made the crease.
Ball-tracking can reconstruct an LBW delivery.
But DRS also deliberately preserves the role of the on-field umpire.
That is what Umpire’s Call demonstrates.
The system is not designed to overturn every close decision just because a computer graphic exists.
It overturns decisions when the evidence meets the required threshold.
Borderline cases remain with the original call.
That balance can frustrate fans.
A delivery appears to clip leg stump.
A fielding team wants the wicket.
The graphic says Umpire’s Call.
Not out remains not out.
Minutes later, a similar-looking ball may hit a batter who was originally given out.
Again the graphic says Umpire’s Call.
This time the batter stays out.
The two results look inconsistent until the purpose of DRS becomes clear.
The system is reviewing the umpire’s decision.
It is not pretending that the original decision never existed.
Modern review rules have also made the process more balanced.
Teams retain successful reviews.
They retain reviews when an LBW decision survives solely because of Umpire’s Call.
Current ICC men’s conditions allow three unsuccessful reviews per innings in Tests and two in ODIs and T20Is.
That gives teams meaningful opportunities to correct mistakes while preventing constant speculative challenges.
The system has also changed cricket strategy.
Captains need to understand review management.
Wicketkeepers have become important advisers.
Batters must quickly assess whether an edge occurred.
Bowlers have to convince captains that their appeals are worth risking a review.
A badly used DRS can become a tactical mistake.
A brilliantly judged one can remove a dangerous batter and change a match.
That matters even more in major tournaments.
In an intense contest such as the India vs Pakistan cricket rivalry, one overturned LBW or caught-behind decision can influence a World Cup match watched by millions.
The technology itself is also evolving.
The 2026 Pakistan Super League, for example, continued using advanced Hawk-Eye DRS systems alongside expanded broadcast analytics.
The News Ink has also covered rule-heavy controversies such as Lahore Qalandars’ ball-tampering penalty, demonstrating how modern cricket increasingly combines traditional Laws with video, data and technological evidence. DRS in cricket remains so fascinating.
Yet the central principle remains simple.
Technology should help officials reach better decisions.
It should not turn cricket into a computer simulation.
There are still judgments.
There are still margins.
There are still mistakes.
There are still moments when everyone watching the same replay sees something differently.
That may actually be why DRS in cricket remains so fascinating.
It reduces obvious errors without removing the uncertainty that has always been part of the sport.
The umpire makes the first decision.
Players decide whether they trust it.
Technology supplies more evidence.
The third umpire interprets that evidence under the rules.
Then the game continues.
That is DRS at its best: not technology replacing cricket’s officials, but technology giving them a better chance of getting the biggest moments right.
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