5 times a cricketer vocally expressed his/her issues with the umpire's call ft. Ben Stokes

The Decision Review System ("DRS") has had its share of criticism since its inception in 2008. The biggest point of discussion in the DRS has been the umpire's call that was introduced in 2016.

The umpire's call means that the on-field umpire should be given the benefit of the doubt while adjudicating close Leg Before Wicket (LBW) decisions. The umpire's call remains after the third umpire concludes that the on-field decision is such that it is too marginal to be set aside.

Numerous cricketers have expressed their concerns with the umpire's call. Here is a look at five such cricketers:

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#1 Ben Stokes

The English Test captain has severally criticized the "umpire's call" rule post England's defeat in the third Test against India. Stokes along with coach Brendon McCullum were seen having a detailed discussion with match referee Jeff Crowe after the match.

Speaking about the rule, Stokes opined:

"We've been on the wrong end of three umpire's calls this game and that is part of DRS. You're either on the right side or the wrong side. Unfortunately, we've been on the wrong side. I'm not saying and never will say that's the reason why we've lost this game, because 500 is a lot of runs.It is not something you pin down to result of the game. Sometimes when you are on the wrong end of those decisions it hurts but that is part of the game. You want them to go your way, sometimes they do, sometimes they don't."

He further added:

"You just want a level playing field. The umpires have an incredibly hard job as it is, especially in India when the ball is spinning. My personal opinion is if the ball is hitting the stumps, it is hitting the stumps. They should take away 'umpire's call' if I'm being perfectly honest. I don't want to get too much into it because it sounds like we are moaning and saying that is why we lost the Test match."

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#2 David Warner

The Aussie opener was on the receiving end of an "umpire's call" decision during the World Cup 2023. In a group match against Sri Lanka in Lucknow, Warner was adjudged out Leg Before Wicket by umpire Joel Wilson with Dilshan Madhushana being the bowler.

Warner went for the review straight away but was shellshocked when the third umpire declared him out. Warner, upset with the decision, fumed back to the pavilion yelling in the direction of Joel Wilson.

Post the match, he criticized the umpire heavily and called upon the umpire's stats to be displayed on the big screen. He said:

"Players’ stats go up on the board as you walk out to bat. When they announce the umpires, I’d love to see their stats come up on the board as well. The NRL does it. I think the NFL does it. It’s a great thing for the spectators to see as well. You definitely know which umpires are going to give those 50-50 ones when it hits the pad, and that’s where from my perspective it gets frustrating.”

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#3 Virat Kohli

The then-Indian skipper Virat Kohli heavily lashed out at the "umpire's call" ahead of a three-match ODI series against England in March 2021. In a media briefing in Pune before the start of the ODI series, Kohli stated that the "umpires' call" was creating a lot of confusion. He said:

"According to me, umpire's call right now is creating a lot of confusion. When you get bowled, as a batsman you don't expect the ball to hit more than 50% of the stumps to consider yourself bowled. So when the ball is shown as clipping the stumps, the bails are going to fall."

He further added:

"So, from basic cricket common sense, I don't think that there should be any debates on that. If the ball is clipping the stumps, it should be out - whether you like it or not you lose the review. And that is how simple the game has to be: if it hits the stumps or it misses the stumps, it doesn't matter how much it is hitting and those kind of things. Because it is creating a lot of confusion."

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#4 Sachin Tendulkar

The great Sachin Tendulkar expressed his displeasure over the "umpire's call" during India's tour of Australia in 2020. During the Boxing Day Test in 2020 at the MCG, both Joe Burns and Marnus Labuschagne survived due to the umpire's call . This led Sachin Tendulkar to go to Twitter to express his concerns over the DRS and especially over DRS.

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#5 Misbah ul Haq

The former Pakistani skipper lashed out at the umpire's call post Pakistan's defeat against South Africa in the 2023 World Cup. In a must-win for Pakistan, Harris Rauf trapped Tabrazi Shamsi and an appeal for LBW was turned down by the on-field umpire. Pakistan took the DRS but Shamsi survived based on "umpire's call" and South Africa won the game by one wicket.

Post the match, the former Pakistan captain said:

"Umpire’s call is a big issue that needs to be sorted out. If it shows that it’s out, and the umpire has given it not out, then it should be given out. If you have to stay with the umpire’s decision, then what’s the point.”