Paul Reiffel dismisses suggestions of wearing helmet while umpiring

A groggy Reiffel being helped to his feet by the English staff

“Always keep your eyes on the ball”. The oft-repeated statement by coaches to budding cricketers was echoed by Paul Reiffel, the Australian umpire, while recalling the blow to his head during the Mumbai Test between India and England.

Safety to on-field umpires has become a prerogative ever since Phillip Hughes’ unfortunate accident on the cricket pitch. While everything possible is being done to guard batsmen against the wrath of the cork, umpires have suddenly come under the spotlight due to their vulnerability against a fast moving cricket ball. 

Reiffel was the victim of a freak accident when a wayward throw from Bhuvneshwar Kumar in the outfield hit him on the back of the head during the fourth Test between India and England at Mumbai. While the incident was one-off, it brings to the fore the safety of those presiding over the play in the middle, standing in one position for hours. 

 While his fellow countryman, Bruce Oxenford uses the arm guard, a unique contraption that he straps on his arm, another umpire from the same country, Gerard Abood, sported a helmet during a BBL match last year. 

Reiffel, at least for himself, dismissed the possibility of wearing helmet, reasoning that the headgear would be too uncomfortable to wear during hot days. While speaking to Fairfax media in Melbourne, where he is currently recuperating from the concussion he suffered from the throw, Reiffel said: “It would be too heavy and too hot, five days with a helmet on, it just would be impossible".

Watch: Bhuvneshwar’s unfortunate throw hits Paul Reiffel on the head

Reiffel was ruled out of the fifth Test at Chennai, having been replaced by Marias Erasmus midway during the match in Mumbai. He is expected to make his way back to the field in the New Zealand-Bangladesh series at this end of this month. 

Speaking on the incident, Reiffel conceded that it was his fault that he stopped tracking the ball, presuming that it was dead. "The batsmen had stopped running, the fieldsmen were taking their time. I must have relaxed and expected him to throw it to the keeper over my head and he decided to throw it halfway to the fieldsman. He got it wrong and hit me on the back of my head. It got me behind the ear and hit me flush, that's what's done the damage”, he said.

Others, like umpire Shahvir Tarapore, who had recently interacted with Sportskeeda, doesn’t share the same sentiment. 

“I have absolutely no inhibitions in saying that if players can have safety, then why not umpires (equipment wise). Slowly, you are seeing umpires wearing the arm guard. There are umpires now who have started donning the helmet. Even the lawmakers have planned that a certain type of helmets be given to umpires,” he had said.

Hopefully, Reiffel returns to the middle soon, careful enough to glance behind his back while someone is fielding right behind him. Luckily for him, Bhuvneshwar’s ‘throw’ was a mere lob.