Ben Treloar relishes Ranji Trophy assignment in New Delhi

Australian umpire Ben Treloar was in New Delhi last week to officiate the Ranji Trophy match between Delhi and Gujarat, the 44-year-old said on October 22, 2026. He described the stint in India as both challenging and enjoyable.

Treloar is part of an exchange programme for umpires between the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) and Cricket Australia, and the Delhi–Gujarat game was his first Ranji match. He has stood in 30 First Class games in Australia and was appointed to the fixture at the Palam ‘B’ ground in the national capital.

The Palam ‘B’ surface proved markedly different from recent pitches Treloar has umpired in Australia, producing extended first innings for both sides: Delhi scored 648 for six declared in 136.4 overs and Gujarat replied with 479 in 174.1 overs.

“Incredibly challenging to come into a new environment, one that’s foreign to me, and umpire this high level of First Class cricket here in India,” Treloar said of his first Ranji game. “It’s been challenging, but a lot of fun as well. The great thing about this opportunity is being able to learn, being put under pressure in different conditions, and just learning more about yourself, the game, and umpiring as well.”

“The main difference for me this week has been the type of pitch that we played on. In more recent times, there has been quite a bit of moisture, grass, and significant bounce on the pitches at the big stadiums around Australia,” he observed. “To umpire on a black-soil pitch this week, where it was a little bit slower as the game moved on and didn’t break up at all, was a really good challenge. It was the first time I’ve umpired an innings where a team scored 650 (sic). It might be flat, but that doesn’t mean it’s easy”.

Treloar will officiate one more Ranji game, between Mumbai and Haryana next week, before returning home.