The Ranji Trophy Group C game between Hyderabad and Kerala starting at the Rajiv Gandhi International Cricket Stadium in Hyderabad from Monday will be the 100th first-class game for umpire Suresh Shastri, who thus will become the first in the country to achieve the feat.
Coincidentally, it was at Secunderabad, Hyderabad's twin city, where Shastri made his umpiring debut in 1990-91, in a Ranji Trophy game between Hyderabad and Kerala.
He has stood in two Tests, nineteen ODIs, and one T20 International, and has also been the TV umpire in several international matches. He was part of the ICC Umpires Panel from 2006 to 2009. In 2008-09, he was one of two Indian umpires who visited South Africa as part of the Umpire Exchange Programme between the BCCI and CSA, and officiated in two first-class matches there.
A quality left-arm spinner and right-handed batsman, Shastri represented Rajasthan in the Ranji Trophy, and played 53 first-class matches from 1972-73 to 1986-87. He took 155 wickets and scored 968 runs.
