The BCCI is caught in a strange match between the umpires and match referees for domestic games as a new performance rating system seems to have backfired.
According to a report in The Indian Express, the system where both umpires and match referees would sit across the table and award points to each other based on their performance has turned into a battleground. The BCCI seems to have found several cases where umpires have used this rating to get back at match referees who faulted their decisions on the field.
In the earlier system, match referees awarded points to each umpire after a domestic game which became the basis of the annual performance reports. But this season onward, a change was introduced to make both parties accountable. However, this system is now being used to unfairly target the referees, continues the report.
This has prompted KVP Rao, the BCCI’s assistant general manager overseeing postings of umpires and match referees, to send out an email asking umpires to be professional and not use this rating to unfairly assess match referees.
The circular also said that many umpires have refused to accept their mistakes which has resulted in heated arguments over the points being awarded.
There have been a number of questions over on-field umpiring during domestic games in India after the Chesteshwar Pujara non-dismissal controversy in the Ranji Trophy semi-final. On more than one occasion in the match, a caught-behind decision went in his favour when the entire Karnataka team was convinced he had edged it.