Simon Taufel remarks India-Pakistan matches were the most difficult to officiate after Test cricket

Former international umpire Simon Taufel, who was the ICC Umpire of the Year five consecutive times between 2004 and 2008, revealed that the India-Pakistan matches were the toughest to officiate following Test cricket.

The 51-year-old said that the games between the two subcontinent teams came with great scrutiny, given the number of armchair experts who evaluate the umpiring decisions. Taufel was quoted as saying by Cricket Pakistan:

“The India-Pakistan clashes came with added scrutiny and expectations because the game is being analyzed by all the armchair experts.”

With all the security for the matches between the archrivals and various other off-field distractions, Simon Taufel said that it was important to focus on the task ahead. He said:

“You had people with machine guns guarding you and presidential-level security was assigned to the teams. You have to remain grounded as I tried my level best to focus on the task ahead and take things one ball at a time.”

"I miss being part of the excitement of international cricket" - Simon Taufel

Simon Taufel, who quit officiating games in 2012, said that he misses the excitement surrounding international cricket. However, he was quick to add that he'd prefer to spend time with his family. He said:

“I miss being part of the excitement of international cricket but I don’t miss the travel and time away from family.”

With a smirk on his face, the former Australian umpire noted that he doesn't miss the scrutiny that comes along with the job and mentioned that it is time for him to help the next generation.

“I certainly don’t miss the scrutiny. It is now time to help the new generation and I am loving every bit of that.”

Speaking about the online accredition course for umpires that he introduced post his retirement, Simon said:

“The aim is to equip people with the insights and the tools to be able to benchmark their skills against best practices and since it is an online course, people can do it at their own pace. You can retake the course because it is not about pass or fail but a case of becoming a better umpire and enjoying their craft.”

Taufel conveyed that the introductory level of this course is not mandatory for existing officials.