Indian Premier League is often touted as the best T20 League in the world. It is considered to be a gold standard in the T20 cricket. However, the league has flunked in two departments. Catches and Umpiring. There have been many great catches and there have been many easy dropped catches. Umpiring, to speak modestly has been poor. Luckily this year, the IPL has opted for DRS and it is proving to be a lifesaver for plenty of the teams.
Yet, the umpires have been poor in the usage of DRS also. This year, the IPL has opted for a higher number of Indian umpires in order to groom them but the move is just exposing the mediocre standard of umpiring in India. The Umpires are constantly seen referring the obvious run-out decisions to the third umpire or instantly checking the no-ball after a wicket-fall.
Umpires should be penalized for referring to 3rd umpire in such cases. Sheer waste of time. @IPL @bhogleharsha pic.twitter.com/k8h7JUSt11
— Modern Kabir (@VinayakSapre1) April 24, 2018
Here are a few incidents from the IPL 2018 of the poor umpiring so far –
In the match between Sunrisers Hyderabad and Chennai Super Kings, umpire Vineet Kulkarni had to face the blame from the fans in Hyderabad when a Shardul Thakur delivery – above the waist of batsman Kane Williamson — wasn’t called a no-ball. Sunrisers lost a close game and that decision could have influenced the result.
The umpires, in the game between Kings XI Punjab and Kolkata Knight Riders, in fact, awarded a free-hit for a no-ball despite Punjab’s Andrew Tye clearly not overstepping the crease. In another match between KKR and Sunrisers, it was a thick edge that the umpires didn’t spot, only to find the decision overturned by the review system.
Why is there a leg umpire if the easiest of run out decisions are being sent to the fourth umpire?? I fail to see why they can't make the decision without wasting time. #ipl #IPL2018 #Cricket
— Sandeep Menon (@SandynoneM) April 27, 2018
Speaking on the issue, a close source to Rajiv Shukla said,”These things do happen sometimes but still the IPL chairman has spoken to match referees and asked them to speak to the umpires.”
Let’s hope that Umpiring gets better as the tournament progresses.
