Former Sri Lankan Bowler Suraj Randiv, Who Denied Sehwag Century Once, Now Works As Bus Driver In Australia

Indian cricket fans can recall Suraj Randiv as the man who denied Virender Sehwag his century.

Former Sri Lanka Cricketer Suraj Randiv | AFP

Life takes unexpected turns and one cannot predict if it will be for the best or not. Such is the story of a former international Sri Lankan cricketer, who is now a bus driver in Australia trying to make ends meet.

Suraj Randiv, the right arm off-spin bowler, represented Sri Lanka in 12 Test, 31 ODIs and 7 T20Is is currently working with a French-owned company called Transdev as a bus driver in Melbourne, Australia.

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Indian cricket fans can recall Suraj Randiv as the man who denied Virender Sehwag his century. In 2010, in an ODI game against the Islander at Dambulla, Men In Blue were a run away from victory.

Sehwag being his menacing self was on strike and at 99. Suraj Randiv, the bowler, deliberately overstepped the line throwing a no-ball. While India won the game as the no-ball awarded the winning runs, Shewag who hit that no-ball for six was not given the runs and hence remained at 99 unbeaten.

36-year-old Suraj Randiv, part of Sri Lanka's ICC 2011 World Cup squad, was recently spotted by an Australian media house while doing his duties as a bus driver. Talking to the news crew he informed that he still is active in cricket and have hopes to make it to the Australian premier T20 tournament, the Big Bash League (BBL).

Media reports suggest that Randiv currently represents Dandenong Cricket Club affiliated with Victoria Premier Cricket. 

Randiv also told the news organisation that he helped out Australia to prepare for the recently held Border-Gavaskar Trophy. “I was asked by Cricket Australia to come and bowl against their bowlers and I didn’t want to miss the opportunity,” he said.

Besides Suraj Randiv, two other international cricketers are also driving the bus in the same company for a living. Sri Lanka's Chinthaka Jayasinghe and Zimbabwe’s Waddington Mwayenga are the other two international cricketers working these jobs since their migration.