Meet Ajitesh Argal: World Cup hero with Kohli, Income Tax officer, now IPL umpire

It does not happen often in cricket. A player shares the field with Virat Kohli as a teammate in the U19 World Cup stage, and years later returns to the same stage, this time as an umpire. That is exactly what Ajitesh Argal has done.

The former India U19 World Cup winner made his IPL debut as an umpire in the Rajasthan Royals vs Lucknow Super Giants match, marking a special moment in his cricket journey. And soon, he could be standing in a game featuring Virat Kohli, the same captain he once shared a dressing room with.

Argal was part of India’s famous 2008 Under-19 World Cup winning team led by Kohli. In fact, he played a decisive role in the final against South Africa. In a rain affected game, Argal produced a brilliant spell of 2 wickets for 7 runs in five overs, earning the Player of the Match award as India defended a modest target to lift the title.

While Kohli’s career took off and turned into one of the greatest stories in modern cricket, Argal’s journey went in a different direction.

He was picked by Kings XI Punjab in the inaugural IPL season but never got a game. His domestic career with Baroda remained limited, playing only a handful of matches across formats over nearly a decade. Eventually, he moved away from professional cricket and joined the Income Tax Department through the sports quota.

But the game was not done with him.

In 2023, Argal cleared the BCCI umpiring exams and began a new chapter. He has since officiated in domestic cricket, the Women’s Premier League, and now the IPL.

And in a full circle moment, he recently stood as an umpire in an IPL match featuring Virat Kohli, the same captain he once helped win a World Cup.

Cricket has a way of bringing stories like this back t