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17 years later, Virat Kohli’s 2008 U19 teammates reunite as umpires in India A series

Akshita Patel

Virat Kohli's former teammates have becoem umpires [Source: @AltAdikrsaha/X.com]Virat Kohli's former teammates have becoem umpires [Source: @AltAdikrsaha/X.com]

17 years after helping Virat Kohli lift the ICC U-19 World Cup trophy in 2008, two of his teammates, Tanmay Srivastava and Ajitesh Argal, stood in white as umpires during the India A vs Australia A series in Kanpur.

Back in 2008, Tanmay was India’s top run-getter in the U19 World Cup, opening the innings with calm confidence and scoring crucial runs throughout the tournament. 

Ajitesh, meanwhile, became a national hero when he won the Player of the Final award for his match-winning spell against South Africa that secured India’s victory under Kohli’s captaincy.

Virat Kohli’s former men don the umpire’s hat

Tanmay Srivastava and Ajitesh Argal were seen as bright young prospects in Indian cricket back in 2008. However, as the years went by, their careers took different turns. 

While Virat Kohli and Ravindra Jadeja rose to international fame, Srivastava and Argal slowly drifted away from playing professional cricket. But their love for the game never died. In 2023, both took a different turn and decided to become umpires.

After clearing BCCI’s umpiring examinations, Tanmay and Ajitesh started to officiate in premier domestic competitions such as the Ranji Trophy, Vijay Hazare Trophy, and the Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy.

Recently, both players were seen umpiring during the India A vs Australia A ODI series in Kanpur. Tanmay and Ajitesh were listed as umpires for all 3 ODIs, out of which India A won 2 games.

Though Virat Kohli continues to set examples in international cricket, his former colleagues now contribute towards moulding the game in a different but no less significant capacity.

Their evolution from players to umpires indicates that success in cricket isn't just about runs and wickets, it's also about persistence, learning, and contributing to the sport.