ICC include Indian umpire KN Ananthapadmanabhan in panel of international umpires

Weeks after Indian umpire Nitin Menon was promoted by the ICC to the elite panel of umpires, his fellow compatriot KN Ananthapadmanabhan has been included in the panel of international umpires of the ICC.

Ananthapadmanabhan, who also had an illustrious first-class career for Kerala over the span of 1988 to 2004, taking 344 wickets with his leg-spin and scoring 2,891 runs in 105 matches before taking to umpiring, joins fellow Indians C Shamshuddin, Anil Chaudhary and Virender Sharma in the international panel. He is now eligible to officiate in the ODI and T20 internationals apart from umpiring in the ICC U19 World Cup.

ALSO READ: ICC implement rule of third umpire taking front foot no ball decisions

Ananthapadmanabhan, 50, has officiated in all major domestic events including the IPL. He also was the official in the Ranji Trophy final between Bengal and Saurashtra last year and even stood at both ends for a while after Shamshuddin got injured.

Umpire Nitin Menon was included in ICC’s elite panel of umpires a few weeks ago
Photo: Deepak Malik, Sportzpics

Ananthapadmanabhan, who also led Kerala in his first-class tenure, said, “This was what I was waiting for a long time, and I knew I would get it and am extremely happy and delighted. I missed out playing for the country as I plied my trade when the country’s greatest leg spinner Anil Kumble reigned supreme. We played almost around the same time and hence I failed to play for the country.”

ALSO READ: Exclusive with Nitin Menon: India’s new ICC elite panel umpire talks of pressure on the field, player habits, fitness of officials and the IPL  

“Lot of international cricket is on the cards and hopefully I will be in one of those. I knew I would make it as I was given quite a number of opportunities to harness my skills by ICC.”