Umpiring is cricket’s judiciary. Cricket may be played by a batsman and a bowler but this doesn’t negate the role of an umpire in a cricket match. Declaring a boundary or a six or anybody out on the pitch is always in the umpire’s hands. From the fate of the 1983 World Cup to Anil Kumble’s historic 10-wicket haul in 1999, all of these were confirmed following the raising of the umpire’s index finger.
Over the years, several eminent umpires like David Shepherd and Harold Dickie Bird have graced the cricket pitch. India, being one of cricket’s elite nations, have also produced a plethora of umpires over the years. More than 100 Indian umpires have officiated international cricket matches, be it Test, ODI or Twenty20 cricket. So let’s take a look at 5 greatest Indian umpires in the history of the game.
#5 Shavir Tarapore
At number five, we have 58-year old Shavir Tarapore. Born in Calcutta, Shavir Tarapore’s father, Mr. Keki Tarapore was a former cricketer himself and Rahul Dravid’s childhood coach. Tarapore played a total of six first-class matches for Karnataka from 1980-1987 before switching to umpiring. Tarapore’s first international cricket match as an umpire came in 1999 in an ODI between India and New Zealand in Hyderabad.
He officiated another two ODIs in 2002 before umpiring again in 2009 and last officiated an international cricket match between West Indies and Australia at Gros Islet in 2012. He officiated four group stage games at the 2011 Cricket World Cup. Overall, he officiated a total of 25 ODIs.
He also officiated four Test matches in 2011 with his final Test coming between Pakistan and Bangladesh at Dubai. Tarapore first officiated a T20I between India and Sri Lanka at Nagpur in 2009 and later umpired in another two matches with his final T20 match as an umpire coming at the 2010 ICC World Twenty20 between Pakistan and Australia at Gros Islet. Tarapore also umpired in 31 IPL matches between 2009 and 2012.
#4 V.K. Ramaswamy
Born in Madras in 1949, Ramaswamy started umpiring from the early 70s, having umpired numerous matches in the Indian domestic circuit. His first international match as an umpire was an ODI between India and West Indies at Vadodara in 1983. He went on to umpire a total of 43 ODIs until 2002 including nine World Cup matches in 1987 and 1996.
He officiated the famous West Indies-Kenya match in Kandy at the 1996 World Cup where Kenya surprisingly beat the eventual semi-finalists by 73 runs. His final ODI was between India and England at Cuttack in 2002.
He first umpired a Test match in 1985 between India and England at Chennai. One of Ramaswamy’s biggest Test decisions is perhaps the dismissal of Sunil Gavaskar for 96 in his final Test match against Pakistan which helped Pakistan win the match by 16 runs. His 26th and final Test came in 1999 between India and New Zealand at Ahmedabad. He has been hailed by Wisden as a “top-class umpire”.
#3 Amiesh Saheba
One of India’s most highly regarded umpires in recent times, Amiesh Saheba was born at Ahmedabad in 1959. Saheba went on to play 15 first-class matches for Gujarat between 1983 and 1990, scoring 728 runs at an average of 26.96, having scored five half-centuries with a highest score of 86.
Saheba first umpired an international cricket match in 2000 between India and Zimbabwe at Rajkot. He went on to umpire in 51 ODIs in total with his 50th match coming between England and South Africa at the 2011 Cricket World Cup in Chennai where England narrowly beat the Proteas by 6 runs. Saheba’s next match between Australia and Canada at Bangalore was the last international cricket match he ever umpired.
Saheba umpired 3 Test matches from 2008-2009 and 4 T20Is between 2007 and 2009. He officiated two group games at the 2009 ICC World Twenty20 whilst also officiating a total of 27 matches at the IPL between 2008 and 2011.
#2 S. Ravi
At number two, we have Sundaram Ravi who is widely regarded to be one of the finest umpires at present. Born at Bangalore in 1966, Ravi’s first international match as an umpire was a T20I between India and England at the Eden Gardens, Kolkata in 2011. He has officiated a further 17 T20Is with all of his previous 10 T20Is being World T20 matches in 2014 and 2016.
Ravi officiated 14 Test matches between 2013 and 2016 with his most recent test being the final Test of the recently concluded Australia-Sri Lanka series. Ravi has umpired in 26 One-Dayers as of now with his most recent ODI coming in February between New Zealand and Australia at Wellington. He umpired three pool matches at the 2015 Cricket World Cup.
Having umpired in 66 IPL matches, Ravi is second in the most number of IPL matches officiated behind former Sri Lankan spinner Kumar Dharmasena. Ravi was inducted in the ICC Elite Panel of Umpires in 2015, being the second Indian Umpire to be included in this panel after a certain someone whom we will see in this list soon.
#1 Srinivas Venkataraghavan
Considered to be one of India’s greatest spinners of all-time, Srinivasaraghavan Venkataraghavan played in 57 Tests and 15 ODIs in an international career lasting 18 years from 1965-1983. After retiring from professional cricket, Venkat resorted to umpiring.
He made his umpiring debut in an ODI in January 1993 between India and England at Jaipur and officiated his first Test match in the same month between India and England at Kolkata. In an umpiring career lasting more than a decade, Venkat officiated 73 Tests and 52 ODIs including 6 Ashes and 3 Cricket World Cups between 1996 and 2003. He was the third umpire during the 1999 World Cup Final between Australia and Pakistan.
He was inducted into the inaugural ICC Elite Panel of Umpires in 2002, being the first Indian umpire to have been included in this panel. He left the panel following his retirement from umpiring in 2004. Truly, Venkataraghavan is India’s greatest umpire ever.
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