India vs Australia, 4th ODI: Field umpire John Ward officiates under helmet

New Delhi: Field umpire John Ward surprised many on Wednesday when he entered the field with a helmet on during the 4th ODI between India and Australia at the Manuka Oval in Canberra.

In a first of its kind instance in international cricket, an umpire was seen officiating wearing a helmet.

Last year in December, while officiating a Ranji Trophy match between Tamil Nadu and Punjab, the 53-year-old Ward suffered a severe blow on his head and was hospitalised.

It seems that he did not want to take a chance this time around and decided to wear a helmet.

Recently, Indian umpire Paschim Pathak was seen wearing a helmet during a Vijay Hazare Trophy match between Kerala and Railways.

This step by Ward might set a new trend among the umpires to follow the example and feel safe.