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Veteran Indian umpire Anil Chaudhary will not be officiating in the upcoming Indian Premier League (IPL) 2025 season for the first time since the tournament’s inception in 2008. Instead, the experienced umpire is set to make his commentary debut with host broadcaster JioStar, where he will lend his voice to the Haryanvi commentary panel.
Chaudhary, who hails from Delhi, is expected to add stardom and credibility to the growing popularity of the Haryanvi feed, which has gained a strong following in recent years.
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Anil Chaudhary Retires as Umpire, Reports Suggest
According to PTI, Chaudhary, 60, has retired from umpiring, with his final match being the Ranji Trophy 2024/25 final between Vidarbha and Kerala in Nagpur.
Speaking about his transition from umpiring to broadcasting, Chaudhary shared his excitement about taking on a new role in cricket.
“As an umpire, I officiated around 15 games in a season. Here, I would be doing more than 50 [matches]. On air, former cricketers view the game from their perspective, while as an umpire, I have a different outlook. It’s fun,” Chaudhary told PTI.
Given his active presence on social media and podcasting, Chaudhary’s move into broadcasting doesn’t come as a surprise.
Anil Chaudhary’s Umpiring Career
Chaudhary made his international umpiring debut over 11 years ago in a T20I between India and Australia in Rajkot (2013). The following month, he officiated in his first ODI in Kanpur.
His Test debut came seven years later during the India vs England Chennai Test (2021) when the ICC temporarily used home umpires due to COVID-19 travel restrictions.
Over his career, Chaudhary officiated in:
✅ 12 Tests (4 as an on-field umpire, 8 as a TV umpire)
✅ 49 ODIs (27 on-field, 22 as a TV umpire)
✅ 64 T20Is (44 on-field, 20 as a TV umpire)
With over 100 international matches, he became only the fourth Indian umpire to achieve this feat.
What This Means for IPL 2025
With Chaudhary now joining the Haryanvi commentary team, IPL fans can expect a unique perspective from a former elite umpire. His insights into decision-making, umpiring protocols, and match situations will add depth and analysis to the commentary box, making the IPL viewing experience even richer.
This move also highlights the rising popularity of regional language commentary, as IPL continues to expand its audience base beyond English and Hindi.
