Umpire Menon retains spot in Elite Panel

RAJKOT: Indian umpire Nitin Menon has retained his place in the ICC Elite Panel and is set to make his maiden appearance as a neutral umpire in Sri Lanka later this month.

A BCCI official said that Menon has received a one-year extension from the International Cricket Council (ICC). The 38-year-old remains the only Indian in the Elite Panel of Umpires. “The ICC recently gave a one-year extension to Menon, who has been our leading umpire over the last three or four years. You will see him make his debut as neutral umpire later this month,” the Board official told PTI.

Menon was promoted to the Elite Panel at the start of the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020, becoming the third Indian to enter the club after S Venkataraghavan and S Ravi. However, Menon was limited to officiating international matches only within India as the ICC allowed local umpires due to travel restrictions that were in place.

After completing his duties in the ongoing five-match T20I series between India and South Africa, Menon will travel to Sri Lanka for the home team’s two-game Test assignment against Australia that begins on June 29 in Galle.

Are you in Chennai? Then click here to get our newspaper at your doorstep!!