Umpire Anil Chaudhary Reflects on Unique Pressure of Officiating India
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Synopsis
Anil Chaudhary, India's acclaimed umpire, shares insights on the heightened challenges of officiating in the IPL compared to international matches, emphasizing the need for professionalism despite external pressures.
Key Takeaways
- Umpiring in the IPL is more challenging than international matches.
- Chaudhary remains focused on professionalism.
- His neighbors humorously urge him to take care of India's matches.
- He has officiated in significant domestic and international games.
- Upcoming IPL season features KKR vs. SRH match.
New Delhi, March 20 (NationPress) India's leading umpire Anil Chaudhary disclosed that managing matches in the Indian Premier League (IPL) poses greater challenges than officiating at the international level. Chaudhary, who possesses extensive experience in both realms, also discussed the added burden from his neighbors during India's games. The 60-year-old maintains that he has never allowed emotions to cloud his judgment and is steadfast in his dedication to professionalism.
"Whenever I would officiate India’s matches, my neighbors would approach me and humorously say, 'Sir, India ka dhyan rakhna'... We are professionals and must not intertwine feelings and emotions with our responsibilities... Umpiring in the IPL is considerably tougher than officiating international matches... We disregard external comments, whether positive or negative, and focus solely on executing our duties," Chaudhary expressed to IANS on Thursday.
Chaudhary's last officiating role was during the Ranji Trophy final between Vidarbha and Kerala in Nagpur. He has officiated in 140 international games, covering both men's and women's formats, and has participated in an impressive 226 IPL matches in various capacities, including umpire and match referee. To date, he has also presided over 90 First-Class games.
The seasoned umpire is set to return for the upcoming 2025 IPL season, which kicks off on Saturday. The defending champions Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) will face off against the runners-up Sunrisers Hyderabad (SRH) in the tournament opener at Eden Gardens.
KKR's leadership will be in the hands of veteran batsman Ajinkya Rahane, following the exit of title-winning captain Shreyas Iyer before last year's mega auction. Meanwhile, Australia’s captain Pat Cummins will continue to lead Hyderabad as they aim for glory after leading them to the finals in the previous edition.
