Australian umpire Ben Treloar has described his maiden first-class umpiring stint in India as 'an incredible experience,' after standing in two Ranji Trophy fixtures during the second half of October 2026 under the Cricket Australia (CA)–Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) Umpire Exchange Programme. The New South Wales-based official returned to Sydney carrying memories of landmark performances, new friendships, and a self-taught butter chicken recipe.

The Two Fixtures

Treloar stood in the second-round Elite Group C clash between Delhi and Gujarat at the Palam Air Force 'B' Ground, New Delhi, and subsequently in the third-round fixture between Mumbai and Haryana at the BKC Ground, Mumbai. Across four days of a high-scoring draw at Palam, he was on the field for a demanding 318.5 overs. To acclimatise, Treloar arrived in New Delhi four days before the first game, spending close to 10 hours sightseeing across the capital — arriving at his hotel at 2 am and heading out for a city tour the very next morning.

'The following day, just driving around Delhi, seeing the sights, learning about the history of the city… really got me ready for the game that was to be in a couple of days' time,' he said.

Landmark Performances He Witnessed

Treloar's front-row seat yielded some memorable individual performances. At Palam, he watched Priyansh Arya stroke a knock of 199 and Delhi skipper Ayush Badoni record a double century. At the BKC Ground in Mumbai, centuries from Angkrish Raghuvanshi, Musheer Khan, and Nishant Sindhu, along with bowling figures of 8 for 81 from Tanush Kotian, left a lasting impression.

'Those types of things are really going to stick with me over the course of time. Being part of that and being able to be there and witness it, that was pretty special,' Treloar said.

Adapting to Indian Conditions

Treloar noted distinct differences between the two venues. Delhi's black soil produced low, slow deliveries, while Mumbai's red soil offered early assistance for pace bowlers before breaking up and generating uneven spin and bounce. To prepare, he joined both squads for net sessions two days before each match and on the eve of play. The low-flying aircraft above Palam was an early distraction he compared to Drummoyne Oval in Sydney — though by the final day, he said he barely noticed them.

His umpiring colleagues — Vinod Seshan and Sadashiv Iyer — along with the match referees, made the adjustment easier. 'I didn't feel like I was coming from the outside or just joining them for a couple of games. All of them made me feel really welcome, part of the team,' Treloar said, adding that he considered some of them friends for life.

The Exchange Programme and Its Value

Treloar's visit was made possible by the bilateral Umpire Exchange Programme between CA and the BCCI. Under the arrangement, Indian umpire Parashar Joshi will travel to Australia to stand in two Sheffield Shield matches and one One Day Cup fixture. Treloar, who has accumulated 107 matches across first-class, List A, and T20 cricket — plus two women's ODIs and seven women's T20Is — over 21 years on the active circuit, described the programme as a significant investment in officiating standards across both nations.

'If we can help them before they go over, to be even more ready than we were — then it's a great part of the programme,' he concluded.

Off the Field: Food, Family and a Future Return

Beyond the cricket, the food left a deep impression — from Delhi's stuffed potatoes, capsicums, roti, naan, and dal, to lighter meals in Mumbai. On his first night back in Sydney, Treloar cooked butter chicken, saffron rice, and roti from scratch for his family. 'Being in India gave us a real understanding of the different flavour profiles,' he said. A return trip — this time with his family — remains firmly on his wish list.