"To be officiating regularly along with the leading umpires and referees of the world is something that I always dreamt of and the feeling has yet to sink in," Menon was quoted as saying in an ICC statement.

England's Michael Gough, 40, was the youngest in the current panel before Menon's elevation. Menon quit playing competitive cricket at 22 and by 23, he became an umpire, officiating in BCCI-accredited matches.

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While standard of Indian umpiring has copped a lot of criticism globally, the performance of Menon over the past few years has been a silver lining.

Menon is well aware of his responsibilities. "We did not have any representation in the Elite Panel for a while. I now want to keep the Indian flag flying high. I hope to see more umpires from India at the top level," Menon told BCCI.TV.

"I see this as an opportunity and a big responsibility to take Indian umpires forward and guide them in every possible way by sharing my experiences."

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