Correspondent, 21 October: Pune's Parashar Joshi, who previously showcased his vocal magic on the popular reality show 'Indian Idol', is set to take on the role of an umpire on the cricket field. He will be officiating matches on Australian soil as part of a special umpire exchange program organized by the BCCI and Cricket Australia.
The cricket boards of both nations introduced this new umpire exchange initiative during the ongoing Ranji Trophy season. Under this arrangement, Australian umpire Ben Treloar is currently officiating two Ranji matches in India, while experienced Indian umpire Joshi has been dispatched to Australia to fulfill umpiring duties.
A native of Pune, Joshi possessed a profound passion for music from the beginning and struggled extensively to establish himself in the singing field. For three consecutive years, he faced only rejections during auditions. Unfazed by these failures, he made a fourth attempt and successfully reached the piano round of 'Indian Idol Season 4' in 2008 before eventually exiting the show.
Alongside his musical pursuits, Joshi maintained a deeply close connection with sports. He initially played cricket at the club level, but after conducting an in-depth study of the game's rules, he chose to pursue a career in umpiring. He has made rapid progress since entering the field of cricket umpiring, a journey that has now taken him directly to Australia.
