JR Madanagopal had just received
news of his appointment as the fourth umpire in this year’s IPL. He is not the
one to get easily excited. And yet this was a big moment for him in his career.
It was long overdue for he had had strong years in the domestic circuit. In
2016 season, he secured 100 marks for his Quarter Final match and 99 marks for
his Semi Final performance in the Ranji Trophy. And yet, he was not part of the
IPL that followed a couple of months later. He was looking forward to be back
in the IPL this year. In fact, after officiating in the final of the National
U23 tournament, he came back to Madras and officiated in the first division
league that was coming to its final stages.
Ranji Final, IPL and .....
India’s Top 5 umpire KN Ananthapadmanabhan had just got back to his home town in Thiruvananthapuram after officiating in his first Ranji Trophy final last month and he was looking forward to a full fledged stint in the IPL. In recent years, he has become a regular at the IPL.
India’s Top 5 umpire KN Ananthapadmanabhan had just got back to his home town in Thiruvananthapuram after officiating in his first Ranji Trophy final last month and he was looking forward to a full fledged stint in the IPL. In recent years, he has become a regular at the IPL.
For a couple of others in Madras, there was the TNCA knock outs and the Palayampaatti Final to look forward to. But all of them have been locked indoors for the best part of a month now with the lockdown across the country.
An informal group to share and debate
These top umpires at the BCCI have now formed an informal group using the social media platform and have been engaging in intense debates on controversial cricket decisions from the past, challenging scenarios for umpires and imaginary situations.
These top umpires at the BCCI have now formed an informal group using the social media platform and have been engaging in intense debates on controversial cricket decisions from the past, challenging scenarios for umpires and imaginary situations.
Ananthapadmanabhan from Thiruvananthapuram, Madanagopal and a couple of others from Madras along
with Sai Darshan from Bangalore have joined together in a fruitful discussion,
online, putting forth their views from their respective homes on
each of these incidents and scenarios and coming to a conclusion on the
interpretation of the Laws.
Ananthapadmanabhan is also spending the lockdown period
refreshing the new Tom Smith Laws of Cricket. Once in a while he puts up an
interesting cricket video for discussion in the group for everyone to share
their opinion "If we are unable to thrash out the differences, we take it
to former Elite Panel International Umpire S Ravi who helps us out" says
Ananthapadmanabhan.
Traditional Games at home for Rajesh Kannan
Back in his home in Mylapore R Rajesh Kannan after over 2 decades of nonstop cricket is enjoying the lockdown break with his family, one that has taken him back to his school days in the 1970s when he used to spend time with family and friends playing traditional games of Tamil Nadu.He has been out on the field all through the 1990s and 2000s first playing and over the last decade umpiring matches.
The current scenario of being locked up indoors has evoked memories of the traditional games that he once played as a young school boy in the 1970s. This is quite a different experience from the one he has had as a cricketer and umpire being out in the hot sun and is all excited to be playing with his two daughters educating them on how these traditional games also help improve the math. During the period of the lockdown, he has played several rounds of Dayakattam, Paramapatham and Pallankuzhi.
But after over three weeks of lockdown, he too like Madanagopal is looking to get back soon on to the ground. Not for them being locked indoor.
Traditional Games at home for Rajesh Kannan
Back in his home in Mylapore R Rajesh Kannan after over 2 decades of nonstop cricket is enjoying the lockdown break with his family, one that has taken him back to his school days in the 1970s when he used to spend time with family and friends playing traditional games of Tamil Nadu.He has been out on the field all through the 1990s and 2000s first playing and over the last decade umpiring matches.
The current scenario of being locked up indoors has evoked memories of the traditional games that he once played as a young school boy in the 1970s. This is quite a different experience from the one he has had as a cricketer and umpire being out in the hot sun and is all excited to be playing with his two daughters educating them on how these traditional games also help improve the math. During the period of the lockdown, he has played several rounds of Dayakattam, Paramapatham and Pallankuzhi.
But after over three weeks of lockdown, he too like Madanagopal is looking to get back soon on to the ground. Not for them being locked indoor.
No comments:
Post a Comment