Umpire’s call is a possible outcome of a DRS review (by a “TV umpire”) for a possible LBW. It means there is some evidence the on-field umpire’s decision was incorrect, but not enough certainty to overturn it.
In theory, DRS review technology shows exactly where the ball was recorded and where it would have travelled had it not hit the player’s leg. In practice, there’s a margin of error. Umpire’s call is a way to reflect this margin of error.
Umpire’s call is relevant in assessing the ball’s actual and projected location to answer two questions:
- Did it impact (hit the batter) in front of the stumps (in other words in between imaginary parallel lines running from the outside of each set of stumps to the matching stump at the other end of the wicket)?
- Was it projected to hit the wicket?
In both cases, DRS must show least 50 percent of the ball meeting the criteria to overturn the original decision. For example, 50 percent of the ball must be impacting outside the imaginary lines to overturn a decision that the player was out. Contrastingly 50 percent must be impacting inside the lines to overturn a decision that they player was not out. The same applies to the proportion of the ball hitting the stump.
In the event of umpire’s call, the original decision remains valid. However, the team that asked for the review is not penalised by losing one of its available challenges.
Umpire’s call is not a factor in two other elements of a potential LBW dismissal:
- If the review shows the bowler did not make a fair delivery (because they stepped over the bowling crease before releasing the ball), the decision is automatically not out.
- Whatever the review shows on the question of the ball pitching (bouncing) inside the line of leg stump or pitching outside leg stump stands, even if only a fraction of the ball is outside the line. (The logic is that there’ no meaningful margin of error here as the review involves an image of the ball’s actual location.)
There’s also one situation that overrides all these points. If the reviews the ball pitched (bounced) more than three metres in front of the stumps, the decision is automatically “Umpire’s call.” That’s because projecting the ball’s course and deflection is too imprecise at this distance.