The Sunday News
Javagal Srinath who is in Bulawayo officiating as match-referee for the on-going Tri-Nation One Day International series featuring Zimbabwe – West Indies – Sri Lanka was easily the most devastating Indian bowler in the history of the country who had the rare ability to run through sides – a trait common to all champion fast bowlers.
He remained India’s torch-bearer in an era when India rarely won tests overseas. On some days he could be ordinary. On some others he looked lacklustre, even out of breath. With age came injuries or he would almost certainly have played more than 67 tests if not been plagued by injuries. In the 1990’s, when every test nation had a quality opening pair, Srinath was often left alone, trying his heart out on unfriendly tracks and his test numbers of 236 wickets at an average of 30.49 is a testimony to his terrific pace of 155km/hr in the late 90’s before being diagnosed with a rotator-cuff injury in March 1997.
In ODI’s he had 315 wickets at 28, and went for 4.44 runs an over. No Indian has gone past his tally of three 5-fors. He stayed on for World Cup 2003 at the insistence of Sourav Ganguly, exiting on a high with 16 wickets at 23 from the tournament. A competent batsman, he finished with 1 009 runs in Tests (reaching the four-figure mark in his last match) and 883 in ODI’s, where he was often used up the order to slog.
Srinath was born on 31 August 1969. He comes from the same Indian province of Bangalore, just like myself. It was in a club match he had caught the eye of former Indian Test batsman Gundappa Vishwanath, then the selector of the state team. In 1989/90 Srinath made his first-class debut for Karnataka against Hyderabad, taking a hat trick in the first innings. He followed this with wickets of successive balls in the second innings. Srinath made his One Day International debut in the Wills Trophy at Sharjah in 1991. He is also India’s most prolific wicket-taker at World Cups with 44 wickets from 34 matches. He remains India’s highest wicket taker in ODI matches as a fast bowler and only Indian pacer to surpass 300 wicket tally in ODI matches. The only other Indian bowler to achieve this feat is Anil Kumble who is a spinner.
Srinath was then selected to the Indian cricket team for the 1991/92 tour of Australia. Making his test debut against Australia in Brisbane, he took 3/59 while playing as the third pace bowler. He finished the tour with 10 wickets at 55.30. In late 1994 with the retirement of Kapil Dev Srinath played his first home test, against the West Indies. He took 5 wickets and scored 60 in the second innings to be named Man of the Match as India won by 96 runs. Srinath took 500 first class wickets; playing for my home province Karnataka he took 96 at 24.06.
In 1996 he joined Gloucestershire and took 87 wickets in his one and only season with them including taking 9-77 against Glamorgan. He has also played English county cricket with Leicestershire and Durham. Zimbabwe’s Alistair Campbell was another testimony from a person who also faced Lance Klusener and Alan Donald at their peak, along with Srinath and found Srinath to be quicker. Alistair Campbell and countryman Grant Flower had also faced Waqer Younis at his peak, and Wasim Akram and the pace before this. But even they said that they had never faced anyone as quick as Srinath. The Australian legendary Denis Lillie called him ‘a genuine fast bowler’ who was a real express bowler before his injury.
Srinath who is currently in the city as an ICC match refree counts among the few fighter cum gentlemen in Indian Cricket in the same league as Sachin Tendulkar, Rahul Dravid, Anil Kumble and Robin Singh. What makes me proud is the fact that the three Indian greats Javagal Srinath, Anil Kumble and Rahul Dravid hail from my little home town and are known to me.
The writer, Joseph Rego, is the CEO and Executive Director of the Old Mutual Heath Streak Cricket Academy in Bulawayo.
