Other than players, the most essential part of cricket is the umpire. Umpires are one of the most critical parts of cricket as they are the ones who regulate the rules of a match. But umpiring in test cricket is the most challenging job, as the umpires must stand on the ground for five days. In cricket history, there have been some umpires who have umpired most matches in test cricket.
1. Aleem Dar (145)
Aleem Dar is one of the best umpires from Pakistan. He is one of the most respected and accurate umpires in today's era. Aleem Dar started his cricketing career as a middle-order batsman and leg-spinner. Even though Aleem Dar could not play the international level of cricket after that, he started umpiring in international matches. Aleem Dar began his umpiring career in 2003 and has done his job for almost 20 years. In his umpiring career, Aleem Dar umpired in 145 test matches, the most by any umpire. After 20 years, on the 16th match in 2023, he stepped down from the elite panel of umpires.
2. Steve Bucknor (128)
Unlike Aleem Dar, Steve Bucknor is the worst and most controversial umpire cricket has ever seen. His umpiring decisions mainly used to be on the wrong side, and that's why many players have been victims of his poor and lousy umpiring. Apart from his poor umpiring, there is no doubt that Steve Bucknor was one of the oldest umpires. He became the first umpire who umpired in 100 test matches. In 1989, Steve Bucknor started his umpiring career and judged for 20 years in international cricket. In his career, he has umpired in 128 tests and 182 ODIs.
3. Rudi Koertzen (108)
Rudi Koertzen was one of the most respected umpires from South Africa. He was a modern umpire in the traditional mold. No one can forget his flat white cap offset by a pair of wraparound shades. It was the year 1992 when Rudi Koertzen started his umpiring career, which lasted for 18 years till 2010. In international cricket, he umpired in 331 matches, which makes him the second most successful umpire in terms of matches. Only in test cricket does he umpire in 108 games. Rudi Koertzen umpired in 108 tests, 209 ODIs, and 14 T20 International in his umpiring career. He even umpires in IPL as well.
4. Daryl Harper (95)
Daryl Harper is the most successful umpire from Australia in international cricket. His accurate decision made him one of the finest umpires of his time. Before becoming an umpire, Daryl Harper was a right-handed batsman. In 1998, Daryl Harper started his career as an umpire, umpiring over 260 international matches. Daryl Harper comes at no. 4 in umpiring the most matches in test cricket. In his 13 years of umpiring career, he umpired in 95 tests, which makes him the most successful Australian umpire. Apart from test cricket, Daryle Harper umpired in 176 ODIs and 10 T20 Internationals.
5. David Shepherd (92)
David Shepherd is one of the biggest inspirations for any umpire. He was the first one to start umpiring in international cricket full-time. Before umpiring, David Shepherd was an England batsman, and for England, he played 22 test matches. David Shepherd scored 1,172 runs with an average of 37 in his batting career. In 1985, he started his umpiring career, where he umpired in international cricket for 20 years. David Shepherd umpired in 92 test matches in his umpiring career, making him the most successful English umpire in international cricket.
6. Billy Bowden (84)
Billy Bowden is considered to be one of the best umpires. He is the most successful umpire from New Zealand, who umpired in more than 300 international matches. Billy Bowden started his umpiring career in 2000 when Australia and New Zealand played against each other. In 2015, Billy Bowden umpired his last test match, where New Zealand played against Australia. In his 15 years of umpiring, he umpired in 84 test matches, the most by any umpire from New Zealand. Besides test cricket, Billy Bowden umpired 200 ODIs and 24 T20 Internationals.
7. Rod Tucker (83)
Rod Tucker is an umpire from Australia. Before umpiring, he was a left-handed batsman who played first-class cricket. In his first-class cricket, Rod Tucker played 103 matches, scoring 5,076 runs with an average of 36. But in 2010, Rod Tucker started his career as an umpire. From 2010 to 2023, he umpired in more than 200 international matches. Only in test cricket did Rod Tucker umpire in 83 games. In his 13 years of umpiring, he also umpired in 102 ODIs and 52 T20 Internationals.
8. Kumar Dharmasena (81)
Kumar Dharamsala is one of the most recognized and respectable umpires from Sri Lanka. Many people know that he was a right-handed batsman for Sri Lanka before umpiring. In international cricket, Kumar Dharamsena played 31 tests and 141 ODIs. In 2010, Kumar Dharamsena started his umpiring career, and after that, he umpired for 13 years in international cricket. In test cricket, Kumar Dharamsena umpired in 81 matches, the most by any Sri Lankan umpire. He judged in 127 ODIs and 42 T20 Internationals besides test cricket.
9. Richard Kettleborough (81)
Richard Kettleborough is one of the umpires still umpiring in international cricket. Regarding him, there is a weird coincidence that India lost that knockout match every time he judged in ICC knockouts. Before umpiring, Richard Kettleborough was a left-handed batsman who played 33 first-class matches. In 2010, he started his career in cricket as an umpire and umpired in many international matches, including big tournaments like ICC World Cup. Richard Kettleborough has refereed 81 tests, 106 ODIs, and 36 T20 Internationals in his umpiring career.
10. Marais Erasmus (80)
Marais Erasmus is an umpire from South Africa. Like every umpire, Marais Erasmus was also a cricketer who played in 53 first-class matches, scoring 1,913 runs. In 2010, Marais Erasmus started his cricket career as an umpire, and after that, he is still umpiring in international cricket. Till now, Marais Erasmus has refereed in 80 test matches.
