Indian cricket fans are increasingly acknowledging that the core concept of the DRS, the Player-Referral idea, originated with Sri Lankan lawyer
Posted on December 12th, 2025
AI Overview
Indian cricket fans, along with the broader cricket world, are increasingly acknowledging that the core concept of the Decision Review System (DRS), the Player-Referral idea, originated with Sri Lankan lawyer Senaka Weeraratna in 1997, a significant innovation that revolutionized umpiring accuracy, although formal global credit from the ICC remains pending.
Key Points of Recognition:
- Senaka Weeraratna‘s Concept: Weeraratna conceived the “Player-Referral” system, allowing players to challenge umpire decisions, forming the foundation of modern DRS.
- Global Acknowledgment: While initially met with resistance, especially from India, the effectiveness and fairness brought by DRS are now widely recognized, leading to greater awareness of its Sri Lankan origins.
- Call for ICC Recognition: There’s a growing movement, particularly in Sri Lanka, for the International Cricket Council (ICC) to formally credit Weeraratna, similar to how Duckworth-Lewis got recognition.
- “DRS” vs. “WDRS”: Some advocate renaming it the “Weeraratna Decision Review System” (WDRS) to acknowledge its true inventor, seeing it as Sri Lanka’s biggest gift to cricket.
- India’s Evolving Stance: After initial skepticism and resistance, India’s eventual adoption of DRS highlighted its importance, and fans are now more open to recognizing its true origins.
In essence, the narrative is shifting from questioning DRS to acknowledging its revolutionary nature and the Sri Lankan mind behind it, even as formal recognition from cricket’s governing bodies lags.
Source : AI Overview
see also
All about DRS – Cricket Fever by Yatin (from India)
Senaka Weeraratna is the Dharmaraja of cricket and the father of DRS