In cricket as a sport, umpires generally don’t receive due credit, but their role is far more challenging than it actually seems. Unlike the players, umpires have no room for any error, as the entire judgment for every action depends on their decision. This can turn the tide of the match towards any side.
They have a tough job keeping an eye on everything during a game. In the Indian Premier League (IPL), umpires are paid based on two categories: elite and developmental. Elite umpires are the top-tier officials recognized by the International Cricket Council (ICC). They’re highly experienced and are paid accordingly. Sundaram Ravi has umpired highest matches, having served as an umpire 122 times, while Subroto Das has officiated the lowest number, having served as an umpire in one match during the 2013 season.
Let us take a look at five umpires who have officiated in IPL games maximum number of times, in terms of their on-field appearances.
1. Sundaram Ravi (India) – Ranked as first on the list, S Ravi has been an on-field umpire for a record 131 matches between 2009 – 2024. He made his debut as an umpire in 2011 for the T20 match at Eden Gardens between India and England. Ravi was born in 1966 in Karnataka.
2. Anil Chaudhary (India) – Leading from the front is this highly experienced and popular umpire, who has officiated close to 130 matches from 2012 onwards. He was born in 1965 in Delhi and made his umpiring debut for ODIs and T20 formats in 2013.
3. Nitin Menon (India) – One of the most qualified and well-known match experts, Nitin Menon has become synonymous with IPL umpiring. He is the only Indian umpire in ICC’s elite panel, Menon has been a part of 104 matches since the 2016 season of IPL. Nitin was born in Madhya Pradesh in 1983 and has been a right-hand batsman prior stepping into the non-playing side of cricket.
4. Kumar Dharmasena (Sri Lanka) – The only non-Indian umpire in the top five list, Dharmasena hails from the neighboring country of Sri Lanka. Kumar Dharmasena has officiated close to 100 games (98 precisely) and between a veteran of the sport from the second edition, 2009 until the present.
5. Chettithody Shamsuddin (India) – Securing the fifth rank in the list in terms of most appearances, C. Shamsuddin hails from the princely state of Hyderabad. Born in 1970, he made his T20 debut as an umpire in 2012 for India vs England match at Pune. He has been an umpire for almost 90 games from 2012 until 2021. He is one of the highest paid umpires of the country.
Though the list is quite long, above mentioned names are the top five individuals who have been on field for the maximum number of times and have earned global recognition for their umpiring skills. Some other notable umpires in IPL’s history include CB Gaffaney (New Zealand), KN Ananthapadmanabhan (India) Marius Erasmus (South Africa) an VK Sharma from India.
Which of these umpires will show their competence and presence in the upcoming IPL 2025 season, is going to be answered in the coming days.
By: Tulika Agarwal
