When professional cricketers hang up their boots, most transition into highly visible roles like coaching, broadcasting, or playing in veteran T20 leagues. However, former Indian pacer Siddharth Kaul surprised fans by choosing a completely conventional corporate path following his retirement from domestic cricket in late 2024. Today, Kaul is employed at a branch of the State Bank of India (SBI) in Chandigarh.
Glorious Start and a Quiet Exit
Siddharth Kaul first shot into the national spotlight as a crucial member of the iconic 2008 Under-19 World Cup-winning squad, which was led by Virat Kohli. Renowned for his skiddy pace and death-bowling utility, Kaul earned a call-up to the senior national side a decade later, ultimately representing India in 3 ODIs and 3 T20Is between 2018 and 2019.
While he remained a reliable mainstay for Punjab in domestic cricket – snapping up nearly 300 first-class wickets – dwindling opportunities at the highest level prompted him to officially step away from Indian cricket in late 2024 to begin a fresh chapter in the banking sector.
Multi-Million Dollar IPL Journey
Though his international stints were brief, Kaul enjoyed a highly lucrative and impactful run in the Indian Premier League (IPL). Over his 55-match tournament career, he picked up 58 wickets, with a personal best configuration of 4/29.
Siddharth Kaul’s IPL career:
2008 (Kolkata Knight Riders): Purchased for ₹20 Lakh during the inaugural auction, though he did not make his debut during the season.
2013–2014 (Delhi Daredevils): Bought for ₹50 Lakh in 2013 and subsequently retained the following year for ₹45 Lakh.
2016–2017 (Sunrisers Hyderabad): Picked up at his base price, quickly establishing himself as a core death bowler for the franchise.
2018–2021 (Sunrisers Hyderabad): Retained by the franchise via a massive ₹3.80 Crore bid, remaining a key part of the squad for four seasons.
2022–2023 (Royal Challengers Bangalore): Signed by RCB for ₹75 Lakh, marking his final stint in the tournament.
Normalizing Post-Cricket Office Life
The news of Kaul’s transition to a desk job at SBI caught many sports fans off-guard, but it wasn’t an overnight pivot. Kaul had actually been associated with the State Bank of India under their sports quota since 2017, even earning a corporate promotion in 2020 while still an active athlete.
Once he finalized his retirement and went unpicked in subsequent player auctions, Kaul simply transitioned into a full-time professional role at the Chandigarh office – proving that there is life, stability, and success outside the boundary ropes.
