The VJD Method — India's Rejected Alternative

What is the VJD Method?

The VJD (V. Jayadevan) method was developed by Indian civil engineer V. Jayadevan as an alternative to the Duckworth-Lewis method. It uses two curves instead of one — a 'normal' scoring curve and a 'target' scoring curve — to model how teams actually score in different phases of an innings.

Jayadevan argued that the D/L method doesn't adequately model the typical scoring pattern of an innings (slow start, acceleration in middle overs, rapid scoring at the death), and his method addressed this by using more sophisticated mathematical modeling.

Why India Supported It

The BCCI publicly supported the VJD method, with some Indian cricket officials and statisticians arguing it was more accurate in certain scenarios, particularly when:

• The first innings was interrupted but the second was not
• Multiple rain interruptions occurred
• T20 matches were affected

The VJD method was tested in some Indian domestic matches and performed well.

Why ICC Rejected It

The ICC conducted a review but decided to keep the D/L (later DLS) method. The reasons included:

• The D/L method had over a decade of proven track record
• Switching systems would create confusion
• The DLS update by Steven Stern addressed many of the VJD method's advantages
• Some statisticians questioned whether the VJD's advantages were statistically significant
• Political factors — some suspected BCCI politics played a role in both the proposal and its rejection