New A+ Category Introduced For Umpires By The BCCI

The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) has introduced a new A+ category for the umpires. Nitin Menon, who is currently the only Indian in the ICC Elite Panel, has been placed in the newly introduced category along with 9 other officials.

The newly introduced A+ category of BCCI umpires includes four international umpires – Anil Chaudhary, Madangopal Jayaraman, Virender Kumar Sharma and K N Ananthapadmabhanan. Also, Rohan Pandit, Nikhil Patwardhan, Sadashiv Iyer, Ulhas Gandhe and Navdeep Singh Sidhu are part of the category.

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Talking about the other categories of the BCCI Umpires, 20 officials are part of Group A, 60 officials are part of Group B, 46 umpires are placed in Group C and 11 umpires are in Group D, which falls in the 60-65 age bracket. The complete list of the umpires was tabled at the Apex Council meeting on Thursday.

Speaking of the payment distribution for the different groups, the officials who are part of the top-level groups – A+ and A – receive INR 40,000 a day for a first-class game and the Group B and Group C officials are paid INR 30,000 a day for a first-class match.

A+ and A, one can say form the cream of Indian umpires – BCCI Official

At the Apex Council meeting on Thursday, the list of umpires was presented as ‘gradation of umpires’. However, a BCCI official said that the Board of Control for Cricket has decided to create groups and it is not grading.

“It is not grading. There are groups with A+ being the new category. A+ and A, one can say form the cream of Indian umpires. Umpires in B and C category are also good.

“When it comes to assigning duties across domestic events starting at the top with Ranji Trophy, preference will be given group wise. The grouping has been done after reviewing the performances of the 2021-2022 season,” said the official while speaking to PTI.

The Board of Control for Cricket in India official was further asked about more umpires graduating to the ICC Elite Panel, as currently, only one Indian umpire is in the panel.

“We put too much emphasis on the elite panel. Only England has three umpires in the elite panel, Australia has two and the rest only one. You can only have so much there.

“The focus should be on improving standard of umpiring at all levels,” the official said.

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