Tendulkar gives thumbs down to UDRS, prefers Hot Spot

Thu, Jul 29 10 08:22 PM

T V Sriram Colombo, Jul 29 (PTI) The Umpire Decision Review System may have its share of supporters but Indian batting maestro Sachin Tendulkar today gave a thumbs down to UDRS, saying he was not fully convinced with the controversial referral system. Tendulkar said instead of UDRS, he was more in favour of the usage of new ''Hot-Spot'' technology, which is an infra-red imaging system used in cricket to determine whether the ball has struck the batsman, bat or pad. "I am not fully convinced with the referral system (UDRS). When I was here last time I was not convinced with many decisions. I did not feel comfortable, it was an experiement which I felt," Tendulkar told reporters here after notching up his fifth double hundred in Tests. "I would rather go with the Hot Spot because that establishes the contact between the bat and the bowl. That it is far better system according to me. The Hot Spot is much better," he said. The UDRS has recently got some supporters in Australian captain Ricky Ponting, Sri Lankan spin legend Muttiah Muralitharan and former ICC umpire Rudi Koertzen, who called for the use of the system in every Test match. Tendulkar guided India with a classy 203 and helped his side end day four of the second Test at 669 for nine in reply to Sri Lanka''s first innings score of 642 for four declared at a placid Sinhalese Sports Club wicket. "When I was in the middle, it was important to go for a partnership and I am happy the way we played well. I was tempted to play my shots but at that time the match was at a critical situation and we had to hang in there," said the champion batsman. With over 1300 runs scored in four days at the loss of just 13 wickets, he said the SSC wicket was not an ideal pitch for Test cricket. "From a batsmen''s point of view the pitch is definitely the best in the world. It is a batting paradise but it is not result oriented. It is a tough track to bowl on," Tendulkar said. Although he is 37, Tendulkar is still going strong and the right-hander said it is his love for the game that keeps him fresh and rejuvenated all the time. "I am enjoying every bit of it. I don''t count the number of runs that I scored. It is nice to score runs and I am enjoying as much being in the middle as it is being in the past. It is fantastic," he said. More PTI TVS SSC MRM

Source: Published>