On-field umpire C. Shamshuddin will not play any further role in the ongoing Ranji Trophy final at the Saurashtra Cricket Association Stadium in Khandheri. On day one, the 49-year-old injured his groin area when the ball was thrown towards him after the fall of a wicket.
Umpire Yeshwant Barde will replace him from day three. Sportstar understands that he is on his way from Mumbai.
Read: Ranji Trophy 2019-20 final: The stats that matter
Complaining of pain and swelling, Shamshuddin did not take the field on day two. K. N. Ananthapadmanabhan had to manage both ends as the other available umpire, Piyush Kakkar, is a local. He handled the square-leg duties since a neutral umpire was required to take stock of the main action. Third umpire Sundaram Ravi had to stay upstairs to monitor the DRS calls.
Shamshuddin went to Gokul Superspeciality Hospital in the morning for a few scans and the doctor has advised him one-week rest.
BCCI’s lack of contingency plans for the final of the most important domestic tournament in the country will be a talking point. It is true that Barde is being sent as a substitute but the crucial domestic matches deserve a reserve umpire from the start. Post lunch, Shamshuddin - after returning from the hospital - entered the third umpire's room and Ravi came out to help Ananthapadmanabhan. Being from Karnataka, Ravi meets the neutral requirement and they will be changing ends.
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