Bullied for far too long, our umpires deserve respect
ing Academy as a coaching institute but the academy is sadly defunct, a sick unit in lockdown.
BCCI chooses umpires through an examination and the 120-strong panel is slotted into four grades. Based on the number of days employed (approximately 50-60) the annual ‘take home’ of umpires ranges between ~20-25 lakh. For those who make the IPL cut, the figure is considerably higher: match fees for a league game is ~2.5 lakh!
The money is good but the process of entry and exit is bad as it allows wrong persons get in and forces good ones to leave. The written exam is cracked by smart candidates with theoretical knowledge but no practical experience.
And BCCI’S retirement policy pushes out experienced umpires even when fit.
As a result, Indian cricket is handicapped by poor umpiring and there are horror stories of umpires overlooking no balls and some who can’t hear or see properly. In the absence of a rigorous system of judging technical competence or medical fitness, some umpires are literally playing with the careers of players.
ASSURE A FUTURE
To change things around, BCCI must invest in the HR potential, training and education of umpires. Also offer them annual contracts as part of a transparent system of performance review, fitness tests and a clear career progression plan.
Much more critical is the need is to give umpires respect instead of treating them like petty employees. Umpires ought to be liberated from the tyranny of players and indifferent officials.
The BCCI top brass meets the Indian team in full media glare and issues -- contracts, for example -- are immediately resolved. The annual Ranji captain/ coaches conclave is another high profile event but umpires/umpiring gets little attention.
Till that happens, S Ravi and other senior umpires will remain unknown and anonymous.