India’s Nitin Menon has become the youngest member to be included in the Emirates ICC Elite Panel of Umpires for the season 2020-21 following the annual review and selection process conducted by the International Cricket Council.


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The 36-year-old, who has officiated in three Tests, 24 ODIs and 16 T20Is, will replace England umpire Nigel Llong in the panel. 


Menon becomes the third from his country to make the prestigious panel after Srinivas Venkatraghavan and Sundaram Ravi," the ICC press release stated.
 
The selection was made by a panel consisting of ICC General Manager - Cricket, Geoff Allardice (Chairman), former player and commentator Sanjay Manjrekar, and match referees Ranjan Madugalle and David Boon.


Ecstatic to recieve the honour, Menon said, "It's a great honour and matter of pride for me to be named in the Elite panel. To be officiating regularly along with the leading umpires and referees of the world is something that I always dreamt of and the feeling has yet to sink in."


Menon, who was earlier part of the Emirates ICC International Panel of Umpires, added, "Having already officiated in Tests, ODIs and T20Is as well as in ICC events, I understand the great responsibility that comes with the job. I look forward to the challenges and will do my best at every opportunity I get. I also feel this is a responsibility on me to take Indian umpires forward and help them by sharing my experiences."
 
Adrian Griffith, ICC Senior Manager – Umpires and Referees welcomed Menon on board by saying that the Indian umpire has come through our pathway system with very consistent performances.
 
The other members of the Emirates ICC Elite Panel of Umpires are Aleem Dar, Kumar Dharmasena, Marais Erasmus, Chris Gaffaney, Michael Gough, Richard Illingworth, Richard Kettleborough, Bruce Oxenford, Paul Reiffel, Rod Tucker and Joel Wilson.