A FIELD DAY FOR WOMEN
More women are taking up umpiring and other on-field responsibilities in cricket
Women’s cricket is on a role. For the first time in history, all match officials — two on-field umpires, Vrinda Rathi and N. Janani, a reserve umpire and a match referee — in the ongoing Women’s T20 Challenge in Pune are women.
“There is huge potential for women to be involved in and make a career in different aspects, like umpiring and match refereeing. There are other areas also, such as coaching, video analysis, commentary, physiotherapy etc which offer career opportunities. Women should be encouraged to develop an interest in these areas,” feels Shubhangi Kulkarni, former India women’s team captain who played 19 Tests and 27 ODIs.
There is good scope for women in umpiring. The recently-concluded ICC Women’s Cricket World Cup had quite a few women match officials and that has motivated many who could not make it to the top as players to consider umpiring to stay involved with the game. Also, the monetary benefits are attractive.
Kulkurni, however, feels that umpiring is more difficult than playing. “Umpires have to be more focused and fit to be able to stand on the ground the whole day – or the entire period of the game,” she says. “Players have a chance to relax a bit when they are not actually on the field during the match but umpires have to focus from the first to the last ball. This requires tremendous concentration and fitness. Also, they have to bear the heat if they make mistakes. It’s not easy to be an umpire,” she says.
Purnia Rau, who has coached the women’s team, says that in her time, the women umpires had to struggle a lot. “It was heartwarming to see women on-field umpires. You need good fitness, knowledge of the game and its rules, and the passion to continue umpiring despite ups and downs,” she says. She feels that though it’s a tough job, women can do it easily, and many more will take up this responsibility.
Nilima Jogalekar/Barve, the BCCI referee, wants more women umpires and match referees to be inducted in the ICC panels.
“The BCCI first Introduced women as match referees way back in 2008. Now the gates have opened for women umpires as well. Our two umpires are in ICC’s associate nations panel. We saw Australia taking the lead by having women umpires in the men’s domestic tournament. Then we saw the Women’s World Cup in England. Australia and NZ have the highest number of women match officials. All have done a remarkable job on the field,” she notes.
“A lot more league matches are now taking place all over the world. So the demand for MOs is bound to go up. That’s going to be enough reason for girls to take up umpiring. Climbing up is going to be faster and easier. So girls, go ahead and take up this noble profession,” she encourages.
THERE IS HUGE POTENTIAL FOR WOMEN TO BE INVOLVED IN AND MAKE A CAREER IN DIFFERENT ASPECTS, LIKE UMPIRING AND MATCH REFEREEING. WOMEN SHOULD BE ENCOURAGED TO DEVELOP AN INTEREST IN THESE AREAS — SHUBHANGI KULKARNI, former India women’s team captain who played 19 Tests and 27 ODIs.
IT WAS HEART-WARMING TO SEE WOMEN ONFIELD UMPIRES. YOU NEED GOOD FITNESS, KNOWLEDGE OF THE GAME AND ITS RULES, AND THE PASSION TO CONTINUE UMPIRING DESPITE UPS AND DOWNS PURNIA RAU, who has coached the women’s team