IPL 2017: 5 umpiring howlers in the season so far
While the Indian Premier League continues to be a great platform for young Indian players, for the domestic umpires, the tenth edition has turned out to be a disaster. With several umpiring howlers in the first week of the season itself, the IPL umpires have hogged the limelight for all the wrong reasons.
This year only four ICC elite umpires – Marais Erasmus, Nigel Long, Chirs Gaffney and S Ravi – are officiating in the league. Thus the domestic umpires have received an opportunity to prove their mettle in the volatile league. However, the start to IPL 10, as far as the umpires are concerned, has been anything but promising.
"Over the past three years, elite umpires have been reluctant to come for IPL as it is a very hectic, high-pressure tournament. Besides, this year, the Champions Trophy will be staged two weeks after the IPL,” a BCCI official told Times of India.
This forced the inexperienced domestic umpires into the fold, which resulted in these five umpiring howlers in the first week of IPL 10.
Mumbai Indians vs Sunrisers Hyderabad
It was the last ball of the sixth over of Sunrisers Hyderabad‘s innings – bowled by Jasprit Bumrah – and David Warner struck one cleanly for a six. However, umpires Nitin Menon and Nandan allowed Warner to take strike for the first ball of the next over despite the boundary.
Neither of the two umpires - Nandan nor Menon - noticed the error and surprisingly even the TV umpire YC Barde did not bring it to their notice.