Virat Kohli’s ex -Teammate is IPL 2025 referee after giving up cricket

It is pretty interesting how careers turn in sports. From the day on which he won the ICC U19 World Championship in 2008, Virat Kohli became a world slower, one of the best batteries who have ever played the game. But most of his other teammates from this man under 19 did not find the cricket career worthwhile. When Virat begins a new adventure in the season of the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2025 with the Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB), his former team -mate of U19 India Tanmay Srivastava will make his simple debut in the same T20 league.

According to a report in the Times of India, Tanmay landed a referee job in the IPL at the age of 35. Incidentally, Tanmay was the top dough for India in the ICC U19 World Cup final in 2008. But his career did not lead to the same street as Kohli.

Tanmay also acquired a contract with Punjab Kings after showing his talent at the U19 World Cup in 2008, but everything went downhill.

“I understood that it was the best player I could be,” said Srivastava in a chat with toi. “I was far from playing the IPL. I had to decide whether I wanted to extend life as a player or have a long -successful second inner sings.”

Tanmay ended his cricket career at the age of 30, while he was the captain of the Uttarakhand team after playing for Uttar Pradesh. He decided to try something else in the cricket than to be a player. The decision was understandably difficult. While Tanmay has not yet received a role on the field in the IPL, he keeps his fingers crossed.

A real player never leaves the field – only changes the game.
I wish Tanmay Srivastava all the best because he attracts a new hat with the same passion!#Upca #Ipl #HIGH #Prideofup pic.twitter.com/wrrow31og2

– Upca (@upcacricket) March 17, 2025

Tanmay is still in contact with Virat, which he could meet in this IPL.

“I’m still in contact with Virat, but I had to decide myself and have a practical outlook,” he revealed.

“I said Rajiv Shuckla Sir that I wanted to do something else in the cricket than to play. He was a bit surprised because I was still 30 years old. Then we discussed what the options could be.

He decided to record the referee, studied various cricket jobs for his exams and juggled at the same time, such as a talent scout for RCB and one of the coaches of the National Cricket Academy.

“It is difficult to study for referees. I stayed at night. You have to learn a lot to understand the laws and their effects,” he said.

“There is a certain relaxation for the players, regardless of the degree of cricket they played. The board encourages young players to scold themselves rather than strongly from older people with knowledge of books,” he said.