BCCI: Ranji Trophy matches will be officiated by women umpires
Vrinda Rathi, Janani Narayan, and Gayathri Venugopalan are the three female umpires who will now officiate on the field during this season’s Ranji Trophy matches. Vrinda Rathi was a scorer on the Mumbai grounds until she happened to meet Kathy Cross, an umpire for the New Zealand international team, who inspired her to enter the 22-yard line.
Chennai-based software engineer Janani Narayan When the Tamil Nadu Cricket Association invited applications for umpire positions, she quit her job. After suffering a shoulder injury, Gayathri Venugopalan’s dream of playing cricket was dashed. She passed the BCCI umpiring exam, but she remained in the center square.
With the Indian Board choosing to choose ladies umpires in the men’s homegrown circuit, the three trailblazers will presently direct the Ranji Prize matches this season.
Rathi, Narayan, and Venugopalan will start in Cycle 2 of the competition
subsequent to missing the main leg of the games, which starts one week from now, since they will direct the India-Australia ladies’ T20I series. It is anticipated that the BCCI will soon issue an official announcement.
Numerous state organizations recruit women to officiate men’s games locally, in addition to women’s cricket. However, up until this point, the BCCI has never permitted women to serve as on-field umpires for men’s senior championships.
Regulars on the circuit claim to be aware of the three women who are set to make history, despite the fact that the contracted umpires for the Indian board are not permitted to speak to the media.
Pacer Rathi, 32, of Mumbai, had previously played for Mumbai University
She frequently scored in Mumbai’s local matches. In 2010, she passed the BCCI’s scorers test. She worked as the official BCCI scorer for the Women’s World Cup in 2013 and met the New Zealand umpire. She passed the BCCI exam after passing the Mumbai Cricket Association tests.
Cricket was always a passion for 36-year-old Narayan. In 2009 and 2012, she approached the TNCA for an application to become an umpire. She was given a form after the state association changed its rules and perceptions in 2015. She left her IT position in 2018 after passing the BCCI’s level 2 umpiring examination.
43-year-old Venugopalan wanted to play cricket, but a shoulder injury ended her hopes. She quit her job in the corporate world in 2019 after passing the BCCI umpiring exams.