A remarkable milestone has emerged from the sports circuit in Prayagraj, where three local talents have secured prestigious technical officiating berths with the Uttar Pradesh Cricket Association (UPCA). Following the rigorous selection exams conducted by the state cricket body, the trio earned entry into elite officiating rosters. While one candidate mastered the intricacies of match documentation to become a state-level scorer, a pair of twin brothers simultaneously cleared the demanding officiating assessments to become state panel umpires.
Pritesh Sonkar Secures Scorer Designation at Kanpur Evaluations
Hailing from the Daraganj neighborhood, Pritesh Sonkar produced an outstanding result in the state-level scoring examinations held in Kanpur during August. Someshwar Pandey, Joint Convener (Management) of the Allahabad Cricket Association (ACA), confirmed that Sonkar earned status as a state panel scorer after his nomination was forwarded by the local district unit. Prior to this feat, he was already serving on the district panel as an ACA scorer.
Sonkar is the son of Pradeep Sonkar and Seema Sonkar. He honed his match-tracking craft and technical bookkeeping acumen under the mentorship of Akhilesh Tripathi, a seasoned BCCI scorer. This disciplined preparation enabled him to distinguish himself among candidates arriving from multiple districts across the state.
Stringent Testing Yields Slim Success Rates
The state association enforced exceptionally strict evaluation standards across both technical streams. The scoring assessment, held under the direct supervision of BCCI educator and BCCI umpire P. Jayapal, drew 33 participating scorers from various districts. Out of that pool, merely 5 candidates managed to clear the rigorous evaluation, with Sonkar securing one of those rare spots.
The competition was equally challenging on the field officiating front, which was supervised by former ICC umpire Anil Choudhary. A total of 97 aspirants from all over Uttar Pradesh competed in the umpiring assessment. When the results were finalized, only 14 candidates met the qualifying benchmark, underscoring the demanding nature of the examination.
Twin Brothers Kushagra and Yashagra Qualify in Tandem
Among the successful candidates in that demanding umpiring pool were twin brothers Kushagra Tripathi and Yashagra Tripathi from Prayagraj, who managed to qualify together. Satyabrat Sahay, Secretary of the Chaudhary Naunihal Singh Cricket Academy, confirmed that both siblings successfully cleared the evaluations to earn induction into the UPCA state umpire panel.
Both Kushagra and Yashagra have been cricket trainees under coach Mohammad Asif at the academy. They belong to a family deeply rooted in sports administration and law: their father, Akhilesh Tripathi, is a High Court advocate who also serves as a BCCI scorer and a UPCA state panel umpire, while their mother is Ranjana Tripathi. The brothers, who reside in Daraganj, appeared in the examinations representing the Ghazipur zone after securing a No Objection Certificate (NOC) from the Allahabad Cricket Association.
Celebrations Across the Regional Sporting Community
The simultaneous accomplishment of these three young individuals triggered widespread celebrations across sporting circles in the region. Representatives of the Allahabad Cricket Association, alongside coaches, seasoned cricketers, and local administrators, conveyed their congratulations and extended warm wishes for their professional journeys ahead. Their success is expected to motivate many aspiring technical officials in regional grassroots sports.
