‘Har Ball Pe Chillata Hai, Keeps Jumping Like Peigon’: Umpire Anil Chaudhary's Brutal Take on Rizwan’s Appeal

Wicketkeepers have the best view when the ball is bowled to a batter. They can judge the nature of the pitch and can guide the bowlers to hit the right areas. Former India captain MS Dhoni set a benchmark when it comes to monitoring and moderating the game from behind the stumps. But there are a few keepers, who are over-enthusiastic and appeal too much against a batter. Pakistan’s Mohammad Rizwan is one of them.

Rizwan is hyperactive behind the stumps and appeals regularly. Indian umpire Anil Choudhary encountered him in last year’s Asia Cup and even alerted the other on-field umpire about the Pakistan keeper’s habit of appealing unnecessarily.

Recalling the incident in the 2 Sloggers podcast on YouTube, Chaudhary said the good umpires are sharp enough to realize such tactics and warned the wicketkeepers against making false appeals.

“I encountered him [Rizwan] in last year’s Asia Cup. Har ball pe chillata hai (He keeps shouting on every ball). I even notified the other umpire about what Riwan was doing. There was a moment when the other umpire was close to obliging to his appeal but he suddenly recalled my words and turned it down. Isn’t he the one who puts something like a lipstick? He keeps jumping like a pigeon,” Chaudhary said in the podcast.

“But the good umpires are wise enough to judge such acts. When the umpires are good, such keepers are losers. So all the keepers who are listening to me must be aware that making false appeals won’t work. Otherwise, they might find themselves at the receiving end despite making a genuine call.

“It’s a technology-driven era where you can watch everything on the screen. Why to make fun of yourself with such acts,” he added.

There was another incident in the Asia Cup 2022 which involved Rizwan and Chaudhary which had left Pakistan captain Babar Azam fuming. In a Super 8 tie against Sri Lanka, Rizwan called for DRS without asking Babar while Chaudhary acknowledged it and sent it upstairs. Meanwhile, a surprised Babar was seen saying “I am the captain”.

Pakistan lost to Sri Lanka by 5 wickets with three overs left in the innings.