Ananthapadmanabhan represented his state team Kerala and the South Zone in first-class and List A cricket in India. He also represent India "A" team in international cricket. He was a right-arm leg spinbowler and was efficient in bowling leg break and googly. In his first-class career, Ananthapadmanabhan took 344 wickets from the 105 matches he played.[4] He also scored three hundreds, including a double century and thus played the role of an able all-rounder for his team. Ananthapadmanabhan enjoyed a very successful first-class career but could not go on to represent the national team India at the Test or ODI level, largely because his career coincided with the Indian leg spinner Anil Kumble. KN Anathapadamanabhan's miserable tale is one of the untold stories of Indian cricket.[5]
In August 2020 he was elevated to the ICC panel of international umpires. He stood in his first Twenty20 International (T20I) match, between India and England on 12 March 2021.[10] He stood in his first One Day International (ODI) match, also between India and England, on 23 March 2021.[11]
