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Dara Dotiwalla

Dara Dotiwalla (1933–2019) was an Indian cricket umpire who officiated in international matches during the 1980s and early 1990s. He stood in Test matches and One Day Internationals played in India and was part of the generation of Indian umpires whose careers spanned the period before the introduction of neutral umpires by the International Cricket Council.

Key facts

Full name Dara Dotiwalla
Born 1933
Died 2019
Nationality Indian
Role Cricket umpire
Formats officiated Test matches, One Day Internationals

Background

Dotiwalla belonged to the Parsi community, which has had a long association with Indian cricket dating back to the 19th century. He progressed through domestic cricket officiating in India before being appointed to the senior international panel.

Umpiring career

Dotiwalla officiated in Test cricket and One Day Internationals organised under the auspices of the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI). His international appointments came at a time when home boards selected umpires for matches staged in their own countries, and he stood in fixtures involving touring sides visiting India during the 1980s and early 1990s.

Alongside contemporaries such as Piloo Reporter, Swaroop Kishen and V. K. Ramaswamy, he was among the Indian umpires recognised on the international circuit before the ICC moved towards a fully neutral panel of umpires later in the 1990s.

Significance

Dotiwalla's career reflects the transitional era of cricket officiating, when home umpires were the norm in international matches. Indian umpires of his generation contributed to the administrative and on-field development of cricket in India during a period that saw the country emerge as a major force in the global game.

References