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Veteran South African umpire Marais Erasmus has announced retirement from international cricket. The 60-year-old has been one of the best umpires on the international cricketing circuit with officiating experience of 80 Tests, 124 ODIs, and 43 T20Is in men's cricket and 18 women's T20Is. Erasmus's final international match will be the ongoing Test between Australia and New Zealand in Wellington.
Since starting his international career in 2006 in a T20I between Australia and New Zealand, Erasmus has been among the best umpires in the world, winning the ICC Umpire of the Year thrice (2016, 2017, and 2021), second only to Simon Taufel's five. The 60-year-old was one of the most experienced umpires during the recent ODI World Cup 2023. He also officiated on big-ticket clashes like the 2011 ODI World Cup quarter-final between India and Australia and the India-Pakistan 2017 Champions Trophy final, among many others.
It's been quite a journey: Marais Erasmus
Speaking with Cricbuzz about his decision to call time on his international career, Marais Erasmus shared, "I'll miss the privileges and the travelling. But I've had enough of being away and living outside of my comfort zone. I think having a more boring life is what I'm looking for. I decided in October last year and I informed the ICC that I would finish my contract in April and that would be that."
"To have seen the best players and been to the iconic venues and World Cups is a massive privilege. It's been quite a journey from being a schoolboy who kept score while watching Eddie Barlow play at Newlands," Erasmus added.
I'll umpire in domestic cricket next season: Marais Erasmus
When asked about his plans for the future, Erasmus revealed he would take some off and then work with Cricket South Africa to officiate in domestic cricket and take up a mentor role for the umpires in the Rainbow Nation. He said, "For the first couple of months, I'm just going to take the winter off. We have some travel planned domestically, and from September I'll be in the hands of CSA."
"We still need to finalise how they want to use me. I'll umpire in domestic cricket next season and play a mentoring role. I might go to the Khaya Majola Week [a schools event] or the club championships, and I'll be watching and advising umpires."
