Umpiring is a tough job, only 3 out of 140 candidates pass

- The examination was made very strict so that the best umpires could be selected

Mumbai, dt. 18 August 2022, Thursday

The number of cricket fans in India is in crores. Almost every youngster who tries his luck in the game dreams of one day representing the country in the blue jersey. For some players, this dream comes true. After failing on the cricket field, the question arises in the mind, what else can be done related to cricket. In such a situation, some players' minds turn to umpiring. However, umpiring is not that easy. Recently only level-2 exam was organized for umpires. Only 3 out of 140 members were able to clear the exam and the rest were disappointed.

Members involved in umpiring were asked 37 questions related to cricket. Meanwhile all the candidates had to go through written, viva, video and physical examination. Due to the corona epidemic spread across the world, for the first time the board included a physical test in umpiring keeping in mind the increasing physical demands. The video test asked questions on match footage and umpiring in specific situations.

Almost all the candidates who appeared in the exam performed well in the practical but all struggled in the written exam. Following are some questions of the written exam.

Questions asked in the exam

- What do you do if a pavilion, tree or fielder's shadow casts a shadow over the pitch and the batsman complains?

- If a bowler has an injured index finger and removes the tape, it bleeds. In such a situation would you ask him to remove the tape while bowling?

- The short leg fielder's helmet comes out after the batsman hits the shot but the ball remains stuck in the helmet and the fielder catches the ball before it hits the ground. What will be your decision on the appeal of the players in such a situation?

A BCCI official said that the test was made very strict to select the best umpires. He said, 'Umpiring is a tough job. Only those with a passion for it can truly excel.'

Find out the answer to these 3 questions

- Stadium or tree shade should be avoided. Meanwhile the fielders should be asked to stand still, otherwise the umpire should decide a dead ball.

- The bowler should remove the strip if he wants to bowl.

- The correct decision is 'not out'.

According to a board official, the evaluation of members was based not only on laws and by-laws but on a test of practical reasoning rather than theoretical knowledge. The board has taken this initiative to raise the standard of home umpires following repeated complaints of poor quality of home umpires. Indian umpires in IPL last year were a huge disappointment. Meanwhile, former players also ticked a lot.