'Mera Role Badal Gayaa': Virat Kohli's Former U-19 WC Winning Teammate Reflects On His Stint As IPL 2025 Match Official

The Indian Premier League is well and truly underway for it's 18th season with several interesting stories coming out of the tournament. Virat Kohli was the captain of the U19 Indian Cricket Team which won the U19 ODI World Cup in 2008. The Virat Kohli led side had faced off against South Africa U19's in Kuala Lumpur. In the match, India U19 had defeated South Africa U19 by a margin of 12 runs. Now one of the members of that team has donned a new role as the 2025 IPL progresses. 

Former U19 World Cup Winner Reflects On Stint As Umpire

Tanmay Srivastava who was a member of the squad that won the U19 World Cup in 2008 recently in a video posted on the IPL official website opened up on his journey from a cricketer to a match umpire and reflected on his new role. In the video Tanmay Srivastava explained his journey from winning the U19 World Cup to being a match umpire in the 18th edition of the Indian Premier League. 

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"You must have seen me play in the IPL and now you will see me as a match official in the IPL. I was very grateful when i found out I had been selected in this pool of umpires. I was very surprised and happy that where I was once a player, I will now be a match official," said the former U19 World Cup winner in the video. 

In the video he also reflected on how his role has changed but he is still connected to cricket. He also opened up on his excitement to be back in the cricketing world and his emotions while officiating his first match. 

“I was very excited to be coming back to this environment and to have the opportunity to come back on field. I officiated the first match in Eden Gardens and while I was there I felt I was in my playing days, (Mera Role Badal Gayaa) it's just that my role has changed,” Tanmay Srivastava added as he spoke in the video. 

Tanmay Srivastava On Meeting Virat Kohli During KKR vs RCB Game 

Tanmay Srivastava in the video also revealed that all of the players from the U19 World Cup winning team stay in touch. He also opened up on meeting Virat Kohli in Kolkata where RCB had played their opening match of the IPL. 

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“All of the members from the U19 World Cup winning team, we are all still in touch. I met Virat in Kolkata and the others also are very surprised after meeting after such a long time that too in a different role. They are also happy that cricketers are coming into umpiring,” said Srivastava as he opened up on meeting Virat Kohli in Kolkata.