In a nostalgic turn of events, two former teammates of Virat Kohli from the victorious 2008 U-19 World Cup squad have reunited on the cricket field, not as players, but as on-field umpires for the ongoing Australia A series in Kanpur. Tanmay Srivastava, 35, and Ajitesh Argal, 37, have traded their bats and balls for whistles and white coats, embarking on a new chapter in their cricketing journeys.
Seventeen summers ago, Srivastava and Argal were key members of the India U-19 team that lifted the World Cup in Kuala Lumpur, with Kohli as their captain. While Kohli went on to achieve global stardom, Srivastava and Argal pursued their own paths within Indian cricket.
Argal, a medium pacer, was the player of the final in the U-19 World Cup against South Africa. Srivastava, a left-handed opener, was India's highest run-scorer in that tournament, accumulating 262 runs in six matches. Despite a first-class career spanning nearly a decade and 90 games, Srivastava never earned an India cap. Argal's senior-level career was shorter, with only 10 first-class appearances.
Both Srivastava and Argal passed the BCCI Umpiring Exam in 2023, marking their transition to becoming match officials. Since then, they have officiated in various domestic tournaments, including the Ranji Trophy, Vijay Hazare Trophy, and Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy. The India A versus Australia A series is their most significant international-level assignment to date.
Srivastava had previously worked as a talent scout with Royal Challengers Bengaluru and has also officiated in the IPL. He will be the first person to both play and umpire in the IPL.
Their performance in the current series could open doors to higher recognition, with aspirations to join the ICC Emirates Panel and eventually the Elite Panel, where Nitin Menon is currently the only Indian representative.
The transition of Srivastava and Argal from players to umpires highlights the different avenues available within the sport and their continued passion for cricket. As Kohli prepares for India's ODI series in Australia, his former U-19 teammates are carving their own niche in the cricketing world, albeit in a different role.
