Ind v Aus, They don't know what they're doing...

Teams reported in the dark over Playing Condition changes.

PTG Editor.

Monday, 9 October 2017.

PTG 2270-11487.

According to a ‘Cricinfo’ report both Indian and Australian players were not aware the Umpire Decision Review System (UDRS) was in operation for the first game of their three-match Twenty20 International (T20I) series in Ranchi on Saturday.  The International Cricket Council approved UDRS in T20Is five months ago (PTG 2146-10892, 26 May 2017), but deferred its introduction until after the five-match India-Australia One Day International (ODI) series that proceeded the current T20Is (PTG 2244-11363, 10 September 2017).

Australian player Aaron Finch acknowledged after the match it was strange that the playing conditions were "mixed and matched” across the ODI and T20I series. He said he "didn't know there was a review system until about the fifth over [of the game when he was batting]. Nobody did.  [Australian captain] Steve Smith, when he ran out a drink, mentioned it. So, we had to ask umpires [Nitin Menon and Chettithody Shamshuddin]".  Indian player Shikhar Dhawan admitted at the press conference to being in the dark as well. "I'm sure they [Australia] would have felt the inconsistency.  But whatever is the rule, is the rule”.

The new playing conditions also state that in a game "reduced to less than 10 overs, the maximum quota of overs per bowler shall not be less than two: meaning that if a match is reduced to five overs a side, two bowlers will be able to bowl two overs each.”  But this was not the case on Saturday despite [India’s innings] chase being cut to six overs. While three Australia bowlers could have bowled a maximum of two overs each under the new rules, only one - Nathan Coulter-Nile - was allowed to do that. Four others - debutant Jason Beherendoff, Andrew Tye, Adam Zampa and Dan Christian - sent down one over each.

While some of the confusion may have risen because the new rules weren't in operation in the India-Australia ODI series, it would appear no arrangements were in place, either via the match officials or each team's coaching group, to provide players with an overview of the changes that applied.