At 50, he’s not getting any younger but the Mumbaikar, who’s made Rajasthan his second home, says, “I agree that I am not young but at the same time I cannot be called a veteran too. There are many in the Elite panel who are 55-58 but there are still good. I think, as you go ahead, you tend to handle pressure better. One thing I have learnt in these years to stay in control of the proceedings, and in these times, it’s important,” he says. Tongue in cheek? Maybe.

How they rank

BCCI’s last season rankings of its three new top umpires

• Suresh Shastri: climbed from 18 in 2003-04 to 3.

• Amish Saheba: up from No 13 last seaon to No 6

• GA Pratap Kumar: not in top 20, but handpicked by Venkatraghavan