Australian umpire's Ranji sojourn: Planes overhead at Palam, BKC's red soil pitch
Australian umpire Ben Treloar is officiating Ranji Trophy matches in India as part of a bilateral exchange program between Cricket Australia and the BCCI. The initiative aims to share expertise and foster professional development between the two cricketing nations.
Why it matters
Sports exchange programs strengthen international relations and help standardize officiating practices across different global cricket leagues.
NEW DELHI: Last week, when umpire Ben Treloar stepped out to officiate the Ranji Trophy match between Delhi and Gujarat at the Palam Air Force II Ground, he caught everyone's attention. Players from both sides were curious about the Australian umpire, with most approaching him on the opening day of the drawn fixture, in which Delhi secured the first-innings lead, to ask where he was from."Quite a few players asked me where I was from and what was going on. They were genuinely welcoming and interested," Treloar told TimesofIndia.com from Mumbai.The 44-year-old from Sydney is in India for the first time as part of the Umpire Exchange Program for the 2026-27 season between Cricket Australia and the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI).
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