A Cricket Umpire is a vital figure in any cricket match without Umpire one cannot play competitive cricket. The umpire of any cricket match has a bundle of knowledge in his mind, he is serving the game as a guardian who follows each and every rule of Cricket.
The Umpire is responsible for making every decision on the field. Every Umpire has knowledge of all Cricket Laws which is the most essential part of every game.
Umpires also have to be good at communication as they have to handle two different teams on the field. They have to maintain proper discipline among the players and every player must respect the decision of the Umpires.
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Who Is Cricket Umpire:
Cricket Umpiring is one of the most challenging as well as demanding roles that require a deep-down understanding of the game.
Strong decision-making ability and remaining calm in any situation is the essential requirement for any Umpire.
The role of Umpiring can only be done by lifelong cricket enthusiast as this is a very challenging job because Umpires has to serve for long hours. This becomes more difficult in the Test format.
In a Test match, Umpires have to stand for long hours for many days.
At the time of batting the batting team can rest in the dugout but the Umpires have to serve for the whole match.
Even a single decision that is taken by the Umpire can change the whole game so the Cricket Umpires have to maintain fairness and sustain the values of Cricket.
Umpiring roles become more difficult as they have to make decisions by ensuring that it remains the gentlemen’s game.
Future of Umpiring in India
Umpiring is a very professional job, the Umpiring future in India depends upon many factors which will influence the popularity of cricket among people.
The popularity of Cricket is increasing day by day as many people are watching cricket nowadays. Also, the IPL plays a very important role in the popularity of cricket. As cricket becomes more popular, the demand for qualified umpiring is likely to increase.
The main challenge that an umpire has to face in his career is criticism and scrutiny. The umpire needs to regularly work on his decision-making ability. Umpires also have to spend some time on conflict-resolution skills and improving communication.
Umpiring can be a good career if anyone has a passion for Cricket and he/she is ready to face the challenges because the job is very challenging as one decision of any umpire can ruin their whole career.
Now let us discuss how can one become a Cricket Umpire or which steps need to be followed so that anyone who has an interest in cricket can become part of cricket.
How one can become an Indian Cricket Umpire?
Becoming a cricket Umpire in India is rewarding as well as difficult, but those who have a passion for cricket will find the process very simple and easy.
The process of becoming a cricket Umpire involves several steps that need to be followed which include theory examination, training, certification and practical experience.
In this article on our website, you will get all the information that is required to become a cricket Umpire. Here is a step-by-step guide which help you to start your journey in the umpiring field.
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1) Understand the Basics of Cricket
To become a Cricket Umpire it is necessary to get all the basic information that is required. This will be your first step to start your umpiring journey as this is also essential to have a strong understanding of cricket.
You can learn basics by simply watching the live matches that are happening all around the world, you can also take the help of the internet.
To get a basic understanding you should read about the rules and regulations that need to be followed by every player, these Laws of Cricket are outlined by the International Cricket Council (ICC).
If you have the knowledge of the rules and regulations of cricket then you will develop another perspective of the game and will start observing the match deeply.
2) Connect with your State Cricket Association
Other than at the national level (BCCI), In India cricket is classified into state levels. Every state of India has their own cricket association which can be called mini BCCI.
To become a cricket Umpire you should connect and make contact with your State Cricket Association they will tell you all the actual procedures that need to be followed to become a cricket umpire.
All the State Cricket Associations have numerous cricket Umpires who work under them and they work on per match-pay basis. These matches are organised by themself in their state.
The State Cricket Association will tell you about the opportunities and courses that are organized by them. Also, they have their own dedicated umpire development programs.
Under these programs, they organise various seminars and courses which help umpires become more developed and enhance their decision-making ability.
The State Cricket Association of India organises various exams for umpire certification. After connecting with your state association you will be notified by them of any upcoming certification exam and by taking that exam you can increase your confidence and it will also help you in your further umpiring journey.
Here is a list of the Cricket Associations that are certified by BCCI:-
NORTH ZONE
- Himachal Pradesh Cricket Association
- Jammu & Kashmir Cricket Association
SOUTH ZONE
- Hyderabad Cricket Association
- Andhra Cricket Association
- Kerala Cricket Association
EAST ZONE
- Cricket Association of Bengal
- Orissa Cricket Association
- Assam Cricket Association
- Jharkhand State Cricket Association
- Tripura Cricket Association
- The National Cricket Club
WEST ZONE
- Baroda Cricket Association
- Maharashtra Cricket Association
- Gujrat Cricket Association
- Mumbai Cricket Association
CENTRAL ZONE
- Madhya Pradesh Cricket Association
- Railway Sports Promotion Board
- Uttar Pradesh Cricket Association
- Vidarbha Cricket Association
ASSOCIATE MEMBERS
- Bihar Cricket Association
- Manipur Cricket Association
- Sikkim Cricket Association
AFFILIATE MEMBERS
- Meghalaya Cricket Association
- Nagaland Cricket Association
3) Attend Umpiring Courses
After making contact with your State Cricket Association you can attend various umpiring courses that are happening all over India you can also attend online seminars.
This is the additional step which you can follow so that you can gain experience and have more deep knowledge of Cricket.
Attending and taking courses will surely increase your chances of becoming one of the best umpires, as no one wants an inexperienced umpire.
If you want to go long and have to make a career in umpiring then you should follow this step because the additional efforts that we put in are the ones which take us ahead of all.
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4) Enroll in the Umpire Certification Examination
Enrolling in the Umpire Certification Exam is an important step that needs to be taken by the one who wants to become a Cricket Umpire.
This Umpire Certification Exam is conducted by the State Cricket Associations that we have discussed above. Passing this exam will be the first successful step of your umpiring journey.
This Umpiring Certification Exam is conducted in two different steps the first exam is written and another exam will be oral viva.
As this is the crucial step of your umpiring journey you must keep in mind the following points related to this exam:-
- This certification exam will consist of many activities and this process can of 5-6 days.
- In the early days, you will get the knowledge and training that is necessary for your umpiring journey.
- After the necessary training, your first exam will be conducted by the State Association. This exam mainly consists of MCC Laws of Cricket which are also known as the (42 Laws of Cricket)
- These 42 Laws consist of each and everything that is related to cricket, you can also see these laws online. You must prepare these 42 Laws very well so that it will be easy for you to crack the exam.
- After the written examination, you have to give the practical or oral (viva), only those who passed the first level can take the second level exam that consists of practical scenarios.
- Once you clear both the exam you will be certified by your State Cricket Association as a Umpire and then you can participate in the matches that are organized by your State Association.
- You can also participate as an umpire in the local cricket clubs which will enhance your knowledge and increase your practical experience.
5) Take Participation in Real Matches
Once you cleared the State-level umpiring exam you can participate in the real-life matches that are happening in your State.
Taking frequent participation as an umpire in Local or State level matches will enhance your experience and will give you practical exposure.
This experience will surely help you in your further journey because gaining experience is never considered bad.
You can also engage in club matches, school matches or junior-level tournaments which will help you in developing umpiring skills and increase your decision-making ability.
6) Pass the BCCI Exam
The next step towards your umpiring journey is to prepare for the BCCI exams. The Board for Control of Cricket in India (BBCI) conduct the National Level Umpiring examination by which one can be certified at the national level in Umpiring.
BCCI conduct the Umpiring exam in 2 Levels, Level 1 and Level 2.
The BCCI Level 1 Exam
This exam consists of a written examination which is the same as the State Cricket Association Umpiring exam but the level of exam that is conducted at the BCCI level is very high and only a few people can pass this exam.
BCCI notifies guidelines officially on their website about this exam and the dates on which it is scheduled, interested people can apply and fill up the required form. One can move further to level 2 after clearing level 1.
The BCCI Level 2 Exam
Only those who have passed the Level 1 Exam can take the Level 2 exam of BCCI which is known as the BCCI Level 2 Umpire Viva Voce & Practical Examination.
The 2nd level exams consist of Viva, all the candidates need to score 90+ marks to pass Level 2.
Those who have passed the Level 2 exam will be inducted into the BCCI Panel of umpires.
After clearing Both levels candidates will be officially certified by BCCI as umpires and then they can easily participate in national-level exams.
7) Take Practical Experience
After getting all the required Umpire Certificates one should now get practical experience as much as they can.
To get practical experience you should participate in the matches that are happening around you this will enhance your decision-making ability and make you strong enough to face any type of situation during the match.
Also, with practical experience an umpire needs to be updated because the environment is very dynamic and it keeps on changing new Laws of Cricket can be introduced as per the requirement.
6 Most Popular Indian Umpires
- Srinivas Venkataraghavan
- S. Ravi
- Amiesh Saheba
- V.K. Ramaswamy
- Shavir Tarapore
You can be the number 6 😉
Top 10 Umpires around the World
- Kumar Dharmasena
- Marais Erasmus
- Nitin Menon
- Michael Gough
- Richard Keith Illingworth
- Billy Bowden
- David Shepheard
- Tony Hill
- Steve Bucknor
- Dickie Bird
