West Indies Test skipper Roston Chase was left dejected and disappointed by the DRS calls made by the umpires, particularly the TV umpire, which went against his team during the first Test against Australia in Barbados.
Chase believes that those early decisions influenced the outcome of the match. The hosts lost the first Test to Australia by 159 runs. The three-day contest ended with the visitors taking a 1–0 lead in the series. West Indies had dominated large portions of the match, but several questionable umpiring decisions ultimately impacted the result.
As many as five decisions made by the TV umpire came under scrutiny on Day 2. This led West Indies head coach Daren Sammy to meet with match referee Javagal Srinath to raise concerns about the umpiring errors. Chase, on his part, held third umpire Adrian Holdstock responsible for his own and Shai Hope’s dismissals in the first innings.
“This game is a frustrating one for me and for the team because we bowled out Australia for a relatively low score. We were very happy with that. But then there were so many questionable calls in the game, and none of them went our way. I mean, as a player, you’re out there, you’re giving your all, you’re fighting—and then nothing is going your way,” Chase said in the post-match interview after the end of the first Test.
“It could be heartbreaking. You see what set batters can do on this wicket. It’s one where, once you get in, you can score runs, but the hardest part is getting in. Me and Shai Hope were going well, and then, obviously, we had some questionable calls. That really set us back in terms of building a strong lead over Australia’s total.”
In the first innings, Chase was given out LBW despite a visible spike appearing on UltraEdge, with Pat Cummins credited with the wicket. Shortly after, Hope was dismissed by Beau Webster off a one-handed catch by Alex Carey. Although the ball appeared to touch the ground, Holdstock deemed the catch clean.
The newly appointed West Indies Test captain has called on the ICC to hold umpires accountable for their errors, just as players are punished for theirs, especially when technology is available to assist in decision-making.
“It’s clear to see—anyone would feel bad or hurt by those decisions. You’re out there playing to win, giving it your all, and it seems like everyone is against you. It’s frustrating because, as players, when we mess up or step out of line, we’re penalised harshly,” Chase said.
“But for the officials, nothing ever seems to happen. They make a wrong or questionable decision, and life just goes on. You’re talking about players’ careers—one bad decision can make or break a career. I just think it should be a level playing field. When players are penalised, officials should be too, especially when clear mistakes are made,” he added.
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