Nitin Menon to realise ‘dream’ after being picked in umpires panel for Ashes

Nitin Menon, the one Indian within the ICC elite panel of umpires, will lastly realise his “dream” when he will get to officiate within the iconic Ashes in England in June-July.

The 39-year-old from Indore would be the on-field umpire within the third and fourth Test of the marquee collection between England and Australia beginning June 16. “He will be officiating in the Ashes,” a BCCI official informed PTI.

The third Test will probably be performed in Leeds from July 6-10 whereas the fourth Test will probably be in Manchester (July 19-23). Menon would be the TV umpire within the fifth and closing Test on the Oval in London from July 27-31.

His on-field companions in Leeds and Manchester will probably be Sri Lanka’s Kumar Dharmasena and Trinidad’s Joel Wilson respectively.

Menon, who was inducted into the elite panel again in 2020, might have officiated within the Ashes earlier if it wasn’t for COVID with ICC compelled to make use of native umpires because of the prevailing restrictions on the time.

“My dream series will be Ashes without a doubt. That is the only series I watch on TV. The atmosphere, the way the series is fought, is something I want be involved in. Whether in England or Australia I would love to be part of it,” Menon had informed PTI after being elevated into the elite panel.

Menon has up to now officiated in 18 Tests, 42 ODIs and 40 T20s. He is at the moment busy with the Indian Premier League (IPL).

Considering impartial umpires have been picked for the Ashes, it appears that evidently the ICC can also be set to deliver again the pre-COVID coverage in all Tests.

Recently, Pakistan’s Aleem Dar stepped down from the elite panel after 19 years on the street.

The others within the panel embrace Adrian Holdstock (South Africa), Ahsan Raza (Pakistan), Chris Gaffaney (New Zealand), Dharmasena, Marais Erasmus (South Africa), Michael Gough (England), Menon, Paul Reiffel (Australia), Richard Illingworth (England), Richard Kettleborough (England), Rodney Tucker (Australia), and Wilson.