The Indian Premier League (IPL) has gone through many changes, but as the 2025 season approaches, Tanmay Srivastava has created a story that is unlike any other. A former cricket player who once featured for India in the 2008 U19 World Cup, where he played with Virat Kohli. Srivastava is now moving on and becoming an umpire.

From Promising Batter to IPL Umpire

From Talented Batter to IPL Umpire Tanmay Srivastava was a very talented left-handed batsman who made his mark in age-group cricket. He was also India’s highest run-scorer in the U19 World Cup, in which the team won the World Cup under Virat Kohli's captaincy. His performances opened up opportunities that he took in domestic cricket, and he also played in the IPL for teams such as Kings XI Punjab now Punjab Kings.

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As talented as he was as a young player tho, Srivastava didn't get to live out his dreams of playing internationally, but he did have a nice domestic career playing for Uttar Pradesh and other teams in the Ranji Trophy until winding down his professional career in 2020.

Cricket has traditionally seen many players become coaches or commentators, but Srivastava’s move into umpiring is both rare and laudable. While one might think that being an umpire simply requires an understanding of cricket, it is much more involved. To be a successful umpire, a level of knowledge about the game is needed; the ability to quickly, confidently, and calmly make decisions must not only be supported by the understanding of the rules, but by experience playing at a high level.

Tanmay Srivastava, who played the U19 World Cup 2008 with Virat Kohli, is set to make his debut as a BCCI-qualified umpire in IPL 2025 🏏#TanmaySrivastava #ViratKohli #IPL #IPL2025 #CricketTwitter pic.twitter.com/0f62kKqpCE

— InsideSport (@InsideSportIND) March 19, 2025

Also Read: Hardik Pandya reveals who will lead Mumbai Indians in their IPL 2025 opener

Srivastava has shown it can be done and there is life beyond serving in a playing position a player can still impact the sport from many angles. Taking into account the IPL is synonymous with high-pressure moments, Srivastava will face a different type of challenge making real-time and accurate calls for the game, with the pressure on knowing many millions are watching  a tall ask for anybody! If an indicator for success is based on his previous playing career, he has  temperament and the necessary knowledge behind his decisions.

As IPL 2025 unfolds, all eyes will be on Tanmay Srivastava, not for his batting strokes but for his ability to make the right calls—this time, as an umpire.

Cricket tends to create interesting stories, and one of them is Tanmay Srivastava's. From being a bright young batman and a team-mate of Virat Kohli in India's triumphant 2008 U-19 World Cup team, Srivastava has today adopted a new role within the game umpiring in the IPL.

Srivastava was a very good cricketer in his younger days, topping the Indian run-scorer list in the 2008 U-19 World Cup. Though a few of his colleagues, such as Kohli and Ravindra Jadeja, had extended international careers, Srivastava took a different route. Following years of domestic cricket, he retired in 2020 and turned his attention to umpiring.

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His path to umpiring is a proof of his innate love for the game. Given his background in playing, Srivastava carries with himself useful experience into his new function, ensuring play fair on the ground. Here now, having entered the IPL in an official role, he has come the full circle of going from runs scored under lights to taking those fateful middle decisions.

Cricket does find such peculiar ways to keep its players in its folds, and Tanmay Srivastava's tale is yet another case of the unpredictable yet intriguing nature of the game.

The ICC has released a match official to begin the proceedings of ICC Champions Trophy 2025 proceedings from 19th February 2025, and no Indian Umpires and referees were found in the panel of 15 members. There is no official confirmation, but there are reasons to talk about it.

These 12 umpires and 3 Referees are the official representation of the ICC Champions Trophy 2025.

Why no Indian Umpires and Referees, Here are the possible reasons: The absence of Indian Umpires and Referees wobble some key issues between Indian and Pakistan, but still there the factors the ICC would list and possible reasons would be

1. ICC Selects Neutral umpires to avoid any controversies between nations.

2. India's top umpire, Nitin Menon withdrew due to personal reasons.

3 . Ongoing, Indian and Pakistan tensions.

4. Indian umpires refused to travel Pakistan.

5. ICC rotates official representation for fair game play.

But the official reasons still need to come.

SEE ALSO: ICC Champions Trophy 2025: Umpire Nitin Menon unavailable for tournament

No umpires or referees from India have been selected by the ICC for the Champions Trophy 2025 🇮🇳❌👀#NitinMenon #JavagalSrinath #India #ChampionsTrophy #Sportskeeda pic.twitter.com/DbVlHk6Bfn

— Sportskeeda (@Sportskeeda) February 5, 2025

Here is the list of ICC Champions trophy Umpires and referees :

During an intense moment in the early stages of the IPL match between Lucknow Super Giants (LSG) and Delhi Capitals (DC), a heated exchange between Delhi captain Rishabh Pant and umpire Rohan Pandit caught the attention of fans and commentators alike. This incident occurred in the fourth over, marking a pivotal moment in the game.

The Heated Exchange Explained

The confusion began when Pant signaled for a Decision Review System (DRS) after a delivery was called wide. Initially, it appeared as though Pant was contesting the wide call itself, which led to an animated discussion with the umpire. Commentary later clarified that Pant was actually checking for a potential edge before the ball reached him.

See Also: IPL 2024: Unstoppable Kuldeep Yadav restricts LSG

Clarification of DRS Confusion

Despite Pant’s conviction, replay analysis conclusively showed that the ball was nowhere near the bat or the batsman, thus confirming the wide delivery. This incident highlighted the complexities and occasional misunderstandings involved in real-time decision-making in cricket.

Match Context at the Incident

At the time of the incident, Lucknow was struggling at 34/1 in 3.3 overs. However, the situation worsened as they slumped to 80/5 by the 10th over, primarily due to a spellbinding performance from Delhi’s Kuldeep Yadav.

Kuldeep Yadav’s Game-Changing Spell

Yadav’s impact was immediate and devastating. He claimed the wickets of key batsmen including KL Rahul, Marcus Stoinis, and Nicholas Pooran, drastically swinging the momentum in favor of Delhi. His bowling not only showcased his skill but also underscored the strategic acumen of Pant’s captaincy in deploying him at crucial junctures.

Khaleel Ahmed’s Early Breakthroughs

Complementing Yadav’s efforts was Khaleel Ahmed, who made significant inroads during the powerplay. Ahmed dismissed Quinton de Kock and Devdutt Paddikal, setting a defensive tone for Lucknow and giving Delhi an upper hand early in the match.