Chennai-based ex-middle order batsman was presented a Mumbai Ranji Trophy cap last week, a good 40 years after his first-class debut
Chennai-based former first-class batsman Sankaran Srinivasan with his newly-acquired Mumbai Ranji Trophy cap. Pic/Nimesh Dave
When cricketers are asked about the most satisfying parts of their careers, not all of them point to their runs, wickets and catches. Instead, references are made to the friendships they sealed and the opportunities they had to meet interesting people in their playing days. It's quite the same for journalists.
ADVERTISEMENT
Last week, I got to know Sankaran Srinivasan (the former Mumbai and Tamil Nadu batsman) better, after meeting him for the first time while covering the India v Australia Test at Chennai in 1998. Way back then, I was introduced to him by the late sports writer Pradeep Vijayakar, and Srinivasan continued to drop in for a chat in the MA Chidambaram Stadium press box in later years. It was interesting to hear from Pradeep then that Srinivasan was a Mumbai player, who represented the Associated Cement Companies (ACC) at one time. Srinivasan returned to Tamil Nadu and continued his Ranji Trophy career.
Last week, Srinivasan was thrilled to get a Mumbai cap, something that he didn't receive at the time of his debut in 1978-79. Mumbai skipper Ashok Mankad fielded five debutants in that game against Baroda at the Wankhede Stadium – openers Ghulam Parkar and Bharat Nadkarni, pacer Ravi Kulkarni, Saurashtra all-rounder Rajendra Jadeja and Srinivasan, who batted at No. 4 while regulars Sunil Gavaskar, Dilip Vengsarkar and Karsan Ghavri were on India duty in Pakistan.
Srinivasan was back in the pavilion on the first day itself, stumped by Ravi Deshmukh off Ranjit Hazare, son of batting great Vijay for 21. As journalist ATP Sarathy wrote, "He had the satisfaction of not making a complete hash of the first chance he got to play at this level of competition. He had batted for well nigh 90 minutes." On debut, Srinivasan excelled at short leg, generously granted to him by Eknath Solkar, the world's best fielder in that position. "Ekki encouraged me to stand there while he stood in the slips and when I caught Ranjit Hazare off Ravi Kulkarni, he gave me a big, genuine hug," said Srinivasan, who profited from Mumbai coach PK 'Joe' Kamat's fielding drills.
The drawn game was Srinivasan's solitary Ranji Trophy appearance for Mumbai as the stars returned from Pakistan for the next game against Saurashtra, but how Srinivasan earned his Mumbai Ranji Trophy selection is interesting. After graduating in Chennai, Srinivasan (already a Tamil Nadu U-22 and Madras University player, bred on matting wickets) told his father that he wanted to play cricket in Mumbai. His father (then sales manager of Johnson & Johnson in Mumbai) approached Ajit Wadekar and Sharad Diwadkar, who had a big say in State Bank of India's cricket activities. Wadekar and Diwadkar advised Srinivasan Sr to speak to Sunil Gavaskar, who was leading ACC. The telephonic conversation with Gavaskar was most fruitful and Srinivasan was asked to pack his bags for Mumbai to join the ACC ranks. Within a few months, Srinivasan was playing alongside Gavaskar in the Times Shield, with Sudhir Naik in the Kanga League for National and with Dadar Union's stars in other inter-club tournaments. Scores of 184 and 140 (against Saurashtra U-22 and Gujarat U-22) for Mumbai U-22 propelled him into first-class reckoning.
After a year of inter-office cricket with Mahindras, Srinivasan returned to TN and represented them across 1979-80 to 1984-85. His best for TN was an unbeaten 148 against UP in the 1982-83 Ranji pre-quarter final in which he put on 212 for the fourth wicket with NP Madhavan.
His last Ranji Trophy match was against Mumbai at the same Wankhede Stadium where he made his debut six years ago. Ghulam Parkar, Zulfiqar Parkar and Rahul Mankad were now in the opposition and Mumbai won to make it to the final. Scores of 11 and 27 in his final game were disappointing. Rahul Mankad, the partner with whom he had put on 52 for the third wicket on his debut in 1978, had him caught and bowled in his farewell innings, but Srinivasan has no regrets. He played for two first-class teams of great reputation.
Last week, he was at the Wankhede Stadium back again – to receive his Mumbai Ranji Trophy cap from his first Mumbai club captain, Sudhir Naik. "I will never forget the opportunities this city provided me. Gavaskar called me to ACC and then Shankar More, my ACC teammate, recommended me to Sudhir to play for National CC. I also learnt a lot at Dadar Union led by Vasu Paranjape and from Vijay Manjrekar, our U-22 manager," Srinivasan told me, his Mumbai cap close to his heart. Paranjape remembered Srinivasan as an attacking batsman who always looked for runs.
He had another cap story to relate. In 1980, he received an invitation from Waverley District Cricket Club in New South Wales, Australia (now Easts Cricket Club), to play Grade cricket for them, but since they were not in a position to sponsor him, he couldn't obtain a visa. On a recent trip to Sydney where he watched India clinch the Border-Gavaskar Trophy, Srinivasan decided to visit Easts. When he recalled his story of rejection to the club office bearers, they presented him a club cap.
Srinivasan believed nothing matched his delight quotient when he scored a Times Shield hundred for Mahindras against Tata Electric on his birthday (April 20). But getting his Mumbai cap surpasses that, he says.
Forty years on, April continues to be a lucky month.
mid-day's group sports editor Clayton Murzello is a purist with an open stance. He tweets @ClaytonMurzello Send your feedback to mailbag@mid-day.com
Catch up on all the latest Mumbai news, crime news, current affairs, and also a complete guide on Mumbai from food to things to do and events across the city here. Also download the new mid-day Android and iOS apps to get latest updates
Subscribe today by clicking the link and stay updated with the latest news!" Click here!
