Life is full of surprises, and even the strongest among us sometimes have to make 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.
One such example is Suraj Randiv, a former Sri Lankan cricketer who was once a regular member of the national team. Randiv 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, and Zimbabwe's Waddington Mwayenga, who also work for the same bus company.
Three former international cricketers are currently employed by Transdev, a company that boasts a diverse workforce of approximately 1200 drivers. Among these cricketers is Randiv, a right-arm off-spinner who enjoyed a successful career with Sri Lanka before seeking new opportunities in Australia.
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Randiv was a member of Sri Lanka's 2011 ODI World Cup squad and played in the final against India, which was ultimately won by MS Dhoni and his team. Throughout his career, Randiv played in 12 Tests, 31 ODIs, and 7 T20Is for Sri Lanka, taking 43, 36, and 7 wickets in the respective formats. He also played for the Chennai Super Kings in the Indian Premier League.
Despite 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 member of Sri Lanka's 2011 World Cup squad, while Chinthaka Namaste played in five T20Is for Sri Lanka and scored 49 runs. Mwayenga made his ODI debut against Pakistan in 2002 and played three ODIs and a single Test match for his country. These three former cricketers have all made significant contributions to the sport in their respective countries.
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