Australian umpire's Ranji Trophy sojourn: Aeroplanes overhead at Palam, BKC's red soil pitch, love for garlic naan and vada pav

NEW DELHI: Last week, when umpire Ben Treloar stepped out to officiate the Ranji Trophy match between Delhi and Gujarat at the Palam Air Force II Ground, he caught everyone's attention. Players from both sides were curious about the Australian umpire, with most approaching him on the opening day of the drawn fixture, in which Delhi secured the first-innings lead, to ask where he was from."Quite a few players asked me where I was from and what was going on. They were genuinely welcoming and interested," Treloar told TimesofIndia.com from Mumbai.The 44-year-old from Sydney is in India for the first time as part of the Umpire Exchange Program for the 2026-27 season between Cricket Australia and the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI). As part of the programme, Australian umpire Ben Treloar will officiate in two Ranji Trophy matches in India, while Indian umpire Parashar Joshi will travel to Australia to stand in two Sheffield Shield matches and one One-Day Cup fixture."It's my first time in India, and I'm really enjoying the experience. Everything is brand new, and I'm experiencing it for the first time. At the end of the day, it's just another game of cricket, but one of the differences is that I don't know any of the players here, and they don't know me. We're all meeting for the first time."The similarity is the high standard of cricket. The players are incredibly talented, and the standard of first-class cricket here is very high. It's similar in Australia [in the Sheffield Shield], where we also have gifted players who perform at their best," he says."The other similarity is the passion with which the game is played. Players here and back in Australia play for their livelihoods. They play hard, play fair and compete in the right spirit. It's great to be out in the middle, be part of that and contribute to the game."The playing conditions are slightly different, particularly the session timings. The first session here lasts two and a half hours because play starts a little earlier, whereas in Australia, the first session is two hours before the lunch break. The number of overs is also different. Here, it's 90 overs a day, compared to 96 in Australia," he adds.Palam was great. It's obviously a smaller venue, and there isn't as much infrastructure around the ground. There were aeroplanes flying overhead, probably one every five minutes across the four daysFor Treloar, who has been umpiring for the past 21 years, the most unique experience at Palam was the aeroplanes frequently flying over the ground."Palam was great. It's obviously a smaller venue, and there isn't as much infrastructure around the ground. There were aeroplanes flying overhead, probably one every five minutes across the four days. By the end of the match, you sometimes don't even realise a plane is coming because you get used to it," he says."But that doesn't change what we do out in the middle. It's another ground, another first-class match and another opportunity to officiate some really good cricket. What I noticed was how passionate everyone involved in the match was about cricket and providing excellent hospitality. From the caterers and ground staff to the players, team management and coaches, everyone was welcoming and made it a really good experience," he adds.Away from the field, Treloar works as Cricket New South Wales' Umpire Education Officer, helping develop the next generation of match officials. His contribution to umpire education has been recognised with four George Borwick Memorial Awards from the New South Wales Cricket Umpires and Scorers Association."I'm very grateful to both the BCCI and Cricket Australia for maintaining such a strong and positive relationship. The way they support match officials and provide them with these additional experiences is fantastic. We're very thankful for the opportunity, and I was honoured and proud to be offered the chance to come to India," he says.He will next umpire the third-round match between Mumbai and Haryana at Mumbai's Bandra Kurla Complex (BKC) ground.I've been eating a lot of vegetarian food, and the dal, the quality of the breads, including roti and garlic butter naan, and the vegetable curries and vada pav have all been fantastic"I've had a quick look at the BKC ground in Mumbai, and it's a much more established venue. I'm really looking forward to getting out there in a couple of days and experiencing a different type of pitch. This one has red soil, so I anticipate it will offer a little more. We'll also spend some time watching the nets and getting a feel for the conditions before the match," he says of the BKC pitch.Apart from cricket and the contrasting soil types (black soil in Delhi and red soil in Mumbai), Treloar has been enjoying Indian cuisine and its flavours. He is also noting down recipes to take back home for his family."The food has been incredible. It's spicy, I must tell you. I do ask for mild food, but I've really embraced the cuisine in both Delhi and Mumbai. The food has been high quality, with so much flavour, and I'm really enjoying it."I particularly like the stuffed potatoes. I've been eating a lot of vegetarian food, and the dal, the quality of the breads, including roti and garlic butter naan, and the vegetable curries and vada pav have all been fantastic."When I get home, I'm looking forward to expanding my cooking abilities. I'll be cooking a lot more of these dishes for my family," he says.Get the latest Sports News and Live updates. Download the TOI app.