Virat Kohli's U19 World Cup teammate bags umpire role for IPL 2025

Tanmay Srivastava is set to become the first player-turned-umpire in IPL history, to make his officiating debut in IPL 2025 after having previously played in the league for Punjab. After winning the U19 World Cup in 2008 with Virat Kohli, he had completed BCCI's Level 2 course.

In Short

• Tanmay Srivastava to debut as IPL umpire in 2025
• Srivastava was India’s top-scorer in 2008 U19 World Cup Final
• Worked as RCB talent scout and NCA's U16 fielding coach

Royal Challengers Bengaluru and India star Virat Kohli has been one of the biggest icons in the history of the Indian Premier League (IPL). His longevity in the franchise league is reflected by the remarkable career shift of his U19 World Cup-winning teammate, Tanmay Srivastava, who is set to make his debut as an official match umpire in IPL 2025.

Tanmay Srivastava, who was India’s top-scorer in their victorious 2008 U19 World Cup Final against South Africa, will become the first player in IPL history to both play and officiate a match. After representing Kings XI Punjab (now Punjab Kings) in the early years of the IPL, Srivastava transitioned into a new career path, qualifying as a BCCI-certified umpire.

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"I understood that was the best player I could be...I was nowhere close to playing the IPL. I had to decide if I wanted to prolong life as a player or have a longer successful second innings," Srivastava told TOI.

At 35 years old, Srivastava’s journey to becoming an umpire has been rapid. He completed his Level 2 umpiring course with the BCCI within two years, showcasing his commitment to understanding the nuances of officiating. However, Srivasta also revealed to TOI that it was a conversation with BCCI Vice-President Rajiv Shukla that helped him decide on his new chapter.

"I told Shukla sir that I wanted to do something else in cricket other than playing. He was a bit taken aback since I was still just 30. Then we discussed what the options could be. I did my Level 2 course in coaching in NCA, but I knew the best I could become was fielding coach. I decided to focus on umpiring," Srivastava added.

Srivastava’s involvement in cricket post-retirement extended beyond umpiring. In 2020, he took on the role of a talent scout for Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB), working closely with the team management. He also served as the fielding coach for the U16 squad at the National Cricket Academy (NCA) and the Jammu and Kashmir state team.