Indian umpire Nitin Menon has revealed the challenges of officiating in cricket matches played in India. Menon, a member of the International Cricket Council’s (ICC) elite panel, explained that umpires in India are put under tremendous pressure by star players seeking favourable decisions during matches. Menon acknowledged that many high-profile matches in India feature big players attempting to create pressure on umpires. However, he suggested that he has learned to cope with the difficulty by remaining focused on his job and not becoming distracted by the players’ behaviour.
Menon admitted that he has a strategy for handling aggressive players and takes time to prepare before matches. However, he added that he tries to keep his approach as simple as possible, explaining that he just watches the ball and makes his decisions accordingly. Menon also discussed his previous experience officiating Test matches in India and revealed that he is looking forward to making his Ashes debut next month in England.
The Indian umpire expressed confidence that he has grown as an official in recent years and that he is well-prepared for the challenge of international cricket. Menon acknowledged that the job comes with its own set of challenges but said he knows how to handle difficult situations. He added that he feels privileged to be able to officiate at the highest level of the sport and is eager to continue learning and improving.
