Umpire Salary in IPL
In every sports game, the umpire plays a crucial role in making sure the game is played by players according to the rules and is also responsible for making decisions when a player does something right or wrong especially when a thrilling cricket event such as the IPL match occurs at the time.
While how much an important role an umpire is playing in IPL, how much would the umpire salary in IPL be? Today exploring the umpires’ salary based on skill, experience, category, etc, we are here to dive deep into the question’s answer.
Also, explore the world’s experienced and top-paid umpires, how they earn, and the process of hiring them in the world’s biggest cricket seasons such as IPL, CPL, PSL, and Big Bash.
Umpire Salary In IPL
After the rise of national cricket leagues, the qualified umpires’ demand has also increased from before. After 2007, when the Board of Control for Cricket in India organized a national cricket league, Indian Premier League to enhance the popularity and commercial viability of cricket in India, they also needed to officiate the umpires to ensure the matches’ fair play, interpret the laws of the game, and make objective decisions on player conduct.
They utilized both umpires (Elite Panel Umpires and Domestic Umpires) for their inaugural IPL season, at that time the umpires’ salaries were modest but with the passage of time and the growth of IPL, the umpires’ salaries also increased considerably. While the BCCI official website does not show any detailed and specific salary information for the IPL umpires, however, we can guess some general information through some websites’ reports about the umpires’ salaries, here you can see the approximate umpires’ salaries they have officiated per match in IPL in the below-given table.
| No, Players | Name | Country | Match Fee | Season Sponsorship |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Anil Chaudhary | Indian | INR 198,000 | INR 733,000 |
| 2 | C. Shamshuddin | Indian | INR 198,000 | INR 733,000 |
| 3 | Christopher Gaffaney | New Zealand | INR 198,000 | INR 733,000 |
| 4 | Nitin Menon | Indian | INR 198,000 | INR 733,000 |
| 5 | Paul Reiffel | Australian | INR 198,000 | INR 733,000 |
Umpires Categories
In cricket umpiring, there is a hierarchical system based on the umpires’ skill level and experience, there are various umpire categories such as international panel umpires, national panel umpires, emerging penal umpires, etc in the cricket, but the three primary categories are detailed below:
1: Elite Panel Umpires:
Elite Panel Umpires, having years of experience, are the most skilled and trustworthy umpires’ panel appointed by ICC. They are entrusted globally to officiate the most prestigious matches, including Tests, ODIs, T20 Internationals, and major tournaments like the World Cup, etc.
These are responsible for adhering to the Laws of Cricket, ensuring fair play, making accurate on-field decisions, and maintaining professional and impartial conduct throughout the match. Their earnings are derived from fee-per-match, annual contracts, and sponsorships. They also receive travel allowances and performance-based bonuses.
2: International Panel Umpires:
International Panel umpires are a crucial group of umpires appointed by the International Cricket Council (ICC) to officiate in international matches. They are not involved in the highest-profile matches, as elite panel umpires are involved. These umpires have a high level of competence and are primarily engaged in ODIs and T20Is.
These are also well-experienced umpires with excellent decision-making skills and the ability to handle high-pressure situations. They are responsible for adhering to cricket laws, serving as on-field umpires, and ensuring smooth gameplay.
3: Domestic Panel Umpires:
Domestic Panel Umpires are the umpires selected by the country’s national cricket board itself. For instance, BCCI selects domestic panel umpires who are responsible for making sure the rules of cricket are followed, handling player behavior, and settling any on-field issues within India only.
They usually officiate in domestic cricket matches, including first-class matches, one-day games, and domestic T20 tournaments. These are low in tier as compared to elite and international panel umpires because they are at a national level while elite and international panel umpires are globally.
Top 5 Highest-Paid Cricket Umpires in IPL
Here are the top 5th highest-paid cricket umpires in the IPL history:
1: Anil Chaudhary
Anil Chaudhary, born on 12 March 1965 in Delhi, India is a highly respected member of the ICC International panel umpires officiated in numerous international matches including Tests, ODIs, and T20Is but is not a part of ICC Elite panel umpires.
He has also officiated as a regular on-field umpire in the Indian Premier League (IPL) and included in top-earning umpires for his experience, consistent performance, calm demeanor, sharp decision-making, and fair approach. He has participated in 121 IPL matches from the 2012 season till the present and charges ₹198,000 per match and ₹733,000 per season.
2: C. Shamshuddin
C. Shamshuddin, full name Chettithody Shamshuddin, was born on 22 March 1970 in Hyderabad, Telangana, India. He is an ICC international panel umpire, not an Elite panel umpire, who has officiated in numerous international matches, including Tests, ODIs, and T20Is. He has been an umpire in the IPL since the 2016 season and is also a regular on-field umpire in the IPL.
Since his debut in the 2016 season, he has participated in 77 IPL matches. Because of his experience, expertise, Consistent Performance, and handling of high-pressure situations, he is included among the IPL’s top-earning umpires. He earns ₹198,000 per match and ₹733,000 per season.
3: Christopher Gaffaney
Christopher Gaffaney, born on November 30 1975, in Dunedin, Otago, New Zealand, is a highly respected ICC elite panel umpire who has umpired numerous international matches, including Test matches, One-Day Internationals (ODIs), and T20 Internationals.
Gaffaney is one of the highest-paid and most experienced international umpires who participated as an umpire to officiate in 77 IPL matches and charges ₹198,000 per match, and ₹733,000 per season as the above umpires.
4: Nitin Menon
Nitin Narendra Menon, born on 2 November 1983 in Indore, Madhya Pradesh, India is also an ICC elite panel umpire who has officiated in several International matches. He became the third Indian to join the ICC elite panel in June 2020. Nitin Menon is included in the youngest umpires and is the only Indian now.
Nitin Menon officiated in the IPL for the first time in 2016, gaining valuable experience in high-pressure matches and exposure to advanced technologies like DRS. After they had seen his consistent performance and experience, Nitin Menon has officiated in 94 IPL matches as an on-field umpire. Nitin Menon charges ₹198,000 per match, estimated at ₹733,000 per season.
5: Paul Reiffel
Paul Reiffel, born on 19 April 1966 in Box Hill, Victoria, Australia, is an Australian former talented right-handed batsman and a right-arm fast-medium bowler from 1992 to 1999 and also a part of Australia’s victorious in the 1999 World Cup, Paul Reiffel is now the ICC elite panel umpires’ member at the time.
After retiring from international cricket as a player in 1999. In February 2009, Paul Reiffel became an ICC International Panel Umpires member and officiated many international matches including Tests, ODIs, and T20Is. In June 2013, Paul Reiffel became the ICC Elite Panel umpire and was selected as one of the twenty umpires standing during the 2015 Cricket World Cup matches.
In IPL, Paul Reiffel is included in the list of highest-paid umpires due to his extreme experience, expertise, member of the ICC Elite Panel of Umpires, bright career as a talented cricket, handling hard situations, and making the right decisions during the match who earn ₹198,000 per match and ₹733,000 per season.
How are The Umpires Hired in The Leagues?
Umpires are crucial to obeying the cricket’s laws in-game for which they select the umpires based on several factors:
ICC Panel Involvement:
ICC Elite and International Panel Umpires possess extensive experience, expertise in high-pressure matches, and a proven ability to make correct decisions. They have officiated in numerous high-profile matches and are considered trustworthy and experienced on the global stage. These qualities make them valuable assets in any cricket league.
Performance in Domestic Cricket:
Consistent good performance in domestic matches is the primary criterion for selection. Domestic umpires often possess in-depth knowledge of local conditions, including venues, pitches, and playing styles. Their experience within the domestic system provides valuable insights into the subtleties of the game at that level.
League Specific Requirements:
Some leagues may have specific requirements from their national cricket board on which base they would select umpires in the leagues such as the umpires should be the member of ICC panel umpires or have the leagues’ countries’ nationality along with their extreme expertise, experience, and know about the cricket laws.
Ways Through Which The Umpires Earn
The IPL umpires earn a lot from various sources, especially from match fees, daily allowance, sponsorships, contract salaries, playoff bonuses, etc.
Match Fee:
The match fee is a primary source of earnings for IPL umpires, they receive a fixed amount of money when they officiate a match. But it depends on the umpires’ experience and match type. Elite umpires earn a lot because of their extensive experience and recognized expertise while Developmental Umpires earn less than Elite Umpires because they are still gaining experience.
According to the IPL 2024 updates, Elite Umpires earned approximately INR 1,98,000 per match, while Developmental Umpires earned INR 59,000. The match fees for IPL umpires have increased substantially over the years because of the growth and popularity of the Indian Premier League and its financial success.
Daily Allowance:
The match fee is a primary source of earnings for IPL umpires, they receive a fixed amount of money when they officiate a match. But it depends on the umpires’ experience and match type. Elite umpires earn a lot because of their extensive experience and recognized expertise while Developmental Umpires earn less than Elite Umpires because they are still gaining experience.
Sponsorships:
A major way to earn a lot for IPL umpires is sponsorships. During the start of IPL, the biggest brands come to promote their brand through the IPL umpires by wearing branded gear, like caps, shirts, etc. They promote their brands to enhance visibility and recognition. According to the IPL 2024 Update, the IPL umpires earn approximately INR 733,000 in sponsorship.