When cricketers retire, they often become broadcasters, journalists, coaches, or take up roles with their cricket boards.
But not many choose to be umpires, probably because it’s a tough job.
Still, some ex-cricketers have become umpires and succeeded in this role after their playing careers.
Here are five cricketers who were outstanding players for their teams and also became great umpires.
5. Lan Gould
Ian Gould, a friendly Englishman, is one of the best cricket umpires in the world today. Before becoming an umpire, he was a famous cricketer in English county cricket. He played as a wicketkeeper for Sussex, Middlesex, and Auckland from 1975 to 1996.
His strong county cricket performances led him to the England national team, where he played 18 one-day internationals in early 1983. He took 15 catches and made 3 stumpings, but his batting average was only 12.91.
Since 2006, Gould has been an excellent umpire. He has officiated in 64 Test matches, 123 one-day internationals, and 37 T20 internationals. At 60 years old, he is still performing at his best, and cricket fans can expect him to stay in the ICC Elite Panel of umpires for many more seasons.
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4. Paul Reiffel
Paul Reiffel was an important player for Australia in the 1990s. He played 35 Test matches and 92 One Day Internationals (ODIs) between 1992 and 1999. Even though he wasn’t very fast, he was known for his accuracy and the way he could make the ball move in unexpected ways.
After he retired as a player, he started working as an international umpire in 2009. He began with ODIs and later became a Test match umpire. He has officiated in 35 ODIs, 54 Test matches, and 16 T20 internationals. Throughout his umpiring career, he has shown the same dedication and discipline he had as a bowler.
3. Peter Willey
Peter Willey, a former English cricketer, became well-known as an umpire from 1996 to 2003. He also had a solid playing career for England.
Willey played 26 Test matches and the same number of ODIs for England between 1976 and 1986. Although he isn’t widely remembered today, he was a dependable player.
His consistent off-spin bowling and determined batting were valuable, especially against strong teams like the West Indies. He played 15 of his Tests against them and the rest against Australia. Even though he wasn’t naturally talented, Willey worked hard and used his abilities well.
Later, he umpired 25 Test matches and 34 ODIs, becoming known as one of the most reliable umpires in the world.
2. Kumar Dharmasena
Kumar Dharmasena was a key player for Sri Lanka’s spin bowling team from 1993 to 2004. He is especially remembered for helping Sri Lanka win the World Cup in 1996.
Dharmasena was known for his off-spin bowling and was also a good lower-order batsman. He played in 31 Test matches and 141 ODIs, making a big impact on his team’s success.
After he retired from playing, he became an umpire. He started umpiring ODIs between India and Sri Lanka in 2009 and began officiating Test matches the next year. Now, he is a regular umpire in Test cricket around the world.
Dharmasena is considered one of the best umpires globally and has won awards for his excellent umpiring. He has officiated in 51 Test matches, 84 ODIs, and 22 T20 internationals. At 46 years old, he looks forward to umpiring many more matches in the future.
1. Srinivas Venkataraghavan
Srinivas Venkataraghavan, a former Indian cricketer and captain, played 57 Test matches and 15 ODIs for India between 1965 and 1983. He was part of India’s famous spin bowling team but didn’t get to play as often as he wanted due to the many talented spinners on the team.
After retiring from playing, Venkat became an international umpire ten years later. He umpired for about nine years and earned a reputation as one of the best umpires in the world. He was known for being fair and having a sharp eye for details, which helped him manage the games well.
Overall, Venkataraghavan umpired 73 Test matches and 52 ODIs in his career. He is still considered one of the greatest umpires in modern cricket.
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