IPL 2025: Former Indian Cricketer Tanmay Srivastava Becomes First To Play And Umpire

March 19, 2025: The 18th edition of the Indian Premier League (IPL) is set to kick off in 2025 with a thrilling match between Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB) and Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) at Eden Gardens in Kolkata. Among the exciting announcements for the season is the appointment of Tanmay Srivastava as an umpire for IPL 2025. Srivastava, who played a pivotal role in India’s 2008 U-19 World Cup-winning squad led by Virat Kohli, will now serve as an official umpire, marking a historic moment in IPL history.

Srivastava, who previously played for Punjab Kings during the 2008 and 2009 IPL seasons, is set to become the first-ever individual to both play in and umpire the prestigious tournament. In his short stint as a player, he appeared in three innings and accumulated just eight runs. Despite his limited IPL playing career, Srivastava has continued to stay involved in the sport.

On March 18, 2025, the Uttar Pradesh Cricket Association (UPCA) confirmed that Srivastava had been named as one of the umpires for the upcoming season. UPCA shared the news on social media, with the caption, “A true player never leaves the field–just changes the game. Wishing Tanmay Srivastava the best as he dons a new hat with the same passion!”

Srivastava made his mark in domestic cricket with Uttar Pradesh (UP), where he made his first-class debut. Although his first season with UP was unremarkable, his stellar performances with the India Under-19 team propelled him into the limelight. Srivastava was the highest run-scorer in the 2007 U-19 World Cup in Malaysia, amassing 262 runs, including a crucial 43 runs in the final against South Africa, which helped India secure the title.

Srivastava’s domestic career saw a resurgence as he finished as UP’s leading run-scorer in the 2008-09 season. Following that, he was picked by Kings XI Punjab for the IPL. Although his IPL career didn’t take off as expected, Srivastava later went on to play for Deccan Chargers and Kochi Tuskers Kerala but did not feature in any matches. His cricketing career in first-class cricket saw him play 90 matches, where he scored 4,918 runs with an average of 34.39, including ten centuries and 27 fifties. Srivastava retired from all formats of the game in 2020.

With his unique transition from player to umpire, Srivastava’s involvement in IPL 2025 will certainly be a talking point as the cricket world looks forward to his contribution on the field in a completely new role.