Ranji Trophy 2018-19: BCCI to assess domestic umpiring only after the season gets over

The umpiring standards in India’s domestic cricket circuit have come under the scanner. The recent semi-final in the Ranji Trophy played between Saurashtra and Karnataka in Bengaluru sparked off a debate over umpiring after some of the on-field decisions left a decisive impact on the game much to the dismay of the home team. Even the captain of the winning team, Jaydev Unadkat, questioned in favour of introduction of the Decision Review System (DRS) which is in vogue in international cricket to make games fairer.

Ace Test batsman Cheteshwar Pujara was at the centre of the storm over umpiring as he got reprieves twice in the match and hit an unbeaten hundred in the second innings to see Saurashtra winning the game by 5 wickets to make the final. It was particularly his edge in the first innings that led to outrage as the umpire chose to ignore it. Even the batsman, who was being worshipped a few days before the game for his super-human form in Australia, was criticised for not leaving the crease after nicking the ball.

Speculation was on whether the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) will take any measure over umpiring ahead of the final which will start in Nagpur between defending champions Vidarbha and Saurashtra on February 3. However, Saba Karim, General Manager, Cricket Operations, BCCI, said that the umpires will be put under assessment once the season gets over.

‘Can’t make drastic changes’

“We have prepared a schedule and accordingly the postings will be done. We cannot make any drastic changes. The umpires will be evaluated after the season and we will decide accordingly,” Sportstar quoted Karim, a former India wicket-keeper, as saying.

Karnataka cricketers and fans were distraught after Pujara edged a short delivery from Abhimanyu Mithun to the wicket-keeper but umpire Saiyed Khalid chose to ignore it. Later in the day, the fans booed the Saurashtra batsman and even called him “cheater”. He even opted not to walk after edging a ball off Vinay Kumar in the second innings. Karim said such things happen in cricket and added that the board was doing its best to improve things and it will take some time for the desired results to come out.

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