About Anil Chaudhary
Anil Chaudhary (also spelt Choudhary) is one of India’s best-known umpires. He stood in the IPL from its first season in 2008 and was named to the ICC International Panel in 2013. Reports credit him with 12 Tests, 49 ODIs and more than 130 IPL matches. He retired from umpiring in 2025 and now works as a Hindi and Haryanvi commentator.
The fee figures on this page come from Chaudhary himself, speaking on a podcast after his retirement. Rupee values are approximate conversions from the dollar figures he quoted.
Eligibility Criteria for an IPL Umpire
- BCCI umpiring exams: candidates clear the BCCI’s Level 1 and Level 2 umpiring examinations, which cover the Laws of Cricket, practical tests and interviews.
- Domestic experience: umpires work their way up through state-level and BCCI domestic cricket such as the Ranji Trophy, Vijay Hazare Trophy and Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy.
- Performance ratings: match referees and captains rate umpires throughout the domestic season, and only the top-rated ones are picked for the IPL panel.
- Fitness and eyesight: umpires must pass regular fitness tests and maintain excellent eyesight.
- Knowledge of technology: IPL officials must be comfortable with DRS, ball-tracking and the Smart Replay System used by TV umpires.
Roles & Responsibilities of Umpires
- On-field decisions: ruling on dismissals, no-balls, wides, boundaries and dead balls.
- Applying the playing conditions: enforcing IPL-specific rules such as the Impact Player, strategic timeouts and over-rate requirements.
- Working with the TV umpire: referring run-outs, stumpings and DRS reviews, and communicating clearly with the third umpire.
- Match control: managing player behaviour and reporting breaches of the code of conduct to the match referee.
- Conditions and safety: deciding on bad light, rain interruptions and the fitness of the pitch and outfield.