From Vadodara to Palam: The Unforgettable Indian Experiences of Overseas Umpires

Believe it: Australian umpire Ben Treloar recently officiated in two Ranji Trophy matches. His first assignment was the Delhi-Gujarat fixture in Palam, followed by Mumbai’s match against Haryana. Similarly, Indian umpire Parashar Joshi will officiate in two Sheffield Shield matches and a One Day Cup fixture in Australia. The exchange is part of the 2026 Umpire Exchange Programme between Cricket Australia (CA) and the BCCI. Before Treloar, several foreign umpires had officiated in Indian domestic matches under similar programmes, returning home with vivid memories and interesting stories.

Australian umpire Greg Davidson’s visit to India in 2020 gave him memories that went well beyond cricket. He officiated in his first Ranji Trophy match in Vadodara, Gujarat, before his next assignment took him to Mumbai.

At six feet ten inches, Davidson was hard to miss. People approached him for photographs and selfies, making him feel like a celebrity. “The Mumbai airport was very noisy and crowded, like a jam-packed cricket stadium,” he recalled.

Davidson and his wife, Tracey, also experienced Indian hospitality away from the cricket ground. Tracey, a schoolteacher, was taken to local primary schools in Mumbai by Indian match referee Varsha Nagrey, giving the couple a glimpse of another side of Indian life.

Davidson had expected dry, dusty pitches in India. Instead, he found a fair amount of grass and good carry on the surfaces.

South African umpire Lubabalo Gcuma discovered that Indian pitches presented a different challenge. In November 2016, he officiated in the Ranji Trophy match between Assam and Maharashtra in Chennai. “Officiating here is a different thing altogether,” he observed, explaining that the ball could spin sharply or jump off the surface.

Standing on a dusty, turning pitch while dealing with loud appeals from several close-in fielders demanded a different level of alertness from what he was used to in South Africa.

In November 2016, Australian umpire Sam Nogajski fell ill during a Ranji Trophy match between Mumbai and Uttar Pradesh in Mysuru. He suffered stomach pain and loose motions and was admitted to hospital with dehydration. His illness forced him to withdraw, leaving his Indian colleague, Virender Sharma, in an unusual situation.

A reserve umpire, Vejith D, was available, but he was not part of the BCCI umpiring panel and could not take over the on-field duties at the bowler’s end. He could serve only as the square-leg umpire. As a result, Sharma had to officiate from both ends.

Former England player-turned-umpire Martin Saggers also noted the differences in crowd energy and playing conditions during his Ranji Trophy assignments. He praised the hospitality but pointed out that the long Indian domestic season and dry, abrasive outfields demanded different physical preparation from that required for English county cricket.

Treloar’s first assignment in India was an adventure in Palam. One unusual feature was the regular sight and sound of aircraft overhead. Located in an aviation-heavy part of Delhi, the ground had planes flying over it repeatedly during the four-day match.

Delhi piled up 648 for six before declaring, while Gujarat replied with 479. Treloar stood through 318.5 overs in the drawn match. It was his first experience of officiating in an innings in which a team scored around 650. He spent almost the entire match at one end, with only four overs at the other.

Treloar’s Indian experience also brought some unexpected interactions. Players from Delhi and Gujarat approached him to ask where he came from and what he was doing there. He was impressed by their passion for the game and the hospitality shown by players, team management, ground staff and catering staff.

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Away from cricket, Treloar explored Delhi’s markets, bought spices and sampled local food, including dal, vegetable curries, garlic-butter naan and vada pav. A keen cook at home, he was already thinking of taking some Indian flavours back to his family in Australia.