Randiv was a member of Sri Lanka’s ODI World Cup squad in 2011 and also played in the final against India, which was ultimately won by MS Dhoni and his team.
Life is full of surprises and even the strongest among us sometimes face unexpected career changes to make ends meet. While modern-day cricketers can earn millions of dollars playing in various franchise leagues around the world, the same cannot be said for their predecessors. Even some of the best international stars who represented their countries at the highest level had limited opportunities to earn a living from the sport. As a result, many former international cricketers have had to find alternative means of supporting themselves.
Suraj Randiv, a former Sri Lankan cricketer who was once a regular member of the national team, now resides in Melbourne, Australia where he works as a bus driver to make ends meet.
Interestingly, Randiv is not alone in his career change, as he is joined by another former Sri Lankan cricketer, Chinthaka Jayasinghe, as well as Zimbabwe’s Waddington Mwayenga, who also works for the same bus company.
Transdev, a company with a diverse workforce of approximately 1200 drivers, currently employs three former international cricketers. Among them is Randiv, a former Sri Lankan right-arm off-spinner who enjoyed a successful career before seeking new opportunities in Australia.
During his cricket career, Randiv played in 12 Tests, 31 ODIs, and 7 T20Is for Sri Lanka, taking 43, 36, and 7 wickets respectively in these formats. He was also a member of Sri Lanka’s 2011 ODI World Cup squad and played in the final against India, which was won by MS Dhoni’s team. In addition, he played for the Chennai Super Kings in the Indian Premier League.
Even after retiring from international cricket, Randiv continues to play for a local club in Melbourne, representing the Dandenong Cricket Club in Cricket Australia’s state competitions. Recently, the 36-year-old was called up by Cricket Australia to bowl at Australian batsmen in the nets, helping them prepare for the India Test series that concluded in January 2021.
Randiv was a part of Sri Lanka’s 2011 World Cup squad, while Chinthaka Jayasinghe played in five T20Is for Sri Lanka, scoring 49 runs. Mwayenga made his ODI debut against Pakistan in 2002 and played three ODIs and a single Test match for Zimbabwe. All three former cricketers have made significant contributions to the sport in their respective countries.
