What must umpires do before the toss?

Under the Laws of Cricket (2017 Code, 4th Edition 2026):

• Arrive: both umpires must be on the ground and report to the Executive of the ground at least 45 minutes before the scheduled start of each day's play (Law 2.1).
• Take control of the balls: all balls to be used must be in the umpires' possession before the toss and stay under their control throughout the match (Law 4.2.1).
• Meet the captains before the toss and determine: the balls to be used; the hours of play and times and durations of intervals; which clock or watch and back-up timepiece is used; the boundary and allowances for boundaries, including whether any obstacle within the field is regarded as a boundary; the use of covers; and any special conditions of play (Law 2.3.1). Then inform the scorers of the hours, timepiece, boundary and special conditions (Law 2.3.2).
• Check the ground and equipment: the creases are correctly marked, the wickets properly positioned, the boundary complies with Law 19, and the ball, bat, stumps, bails and wicket-keeper's gloves conform to the Laws (Laws 2.4 and 2.5).
• Receive the team lists: each captain nominates their players in writing to one of the umpires before the toss (Law 1.2.1).
• Be present at the toss, which the captains hold on the field of play in the presence of one or both umpires, not earlier than 30 minutes nor later than 15 minutes before the scheduled start (Law 13.4). The winning captain tells the opposing captain and the umpires their decision to bat or field, and it cannot then be changed (Law 13.5).