VENKATARAGHAVAN

 

Srinivas Venkataraghavan is perched on a prominent platform of Indian cricket. He happens to be the only Indian Test cricketer capable enough to have officiated as an umpire in Test matches.

 

Actually not many Test cricketers have quite been able to achieve the 'double international' status. In either capacity Venkat belongs to the top echelon. As a member of the spinning quartet that fascinated the cricket world in the 1960s and 1970s, he was a vital constituent of our national team.

 

 Those long, supple fingers of his gave the ball a meaningful tweak. Released from a height of nearly eight feet, his deliveries were not tossed up floaters and curlers but a whiplash cobra-strike. If his trajectory did not paint a variety of arcs and curves, his line and length were of marksman-like precision.

 

The intelligent engineering graduate, an alumnus of a renowned engineering college in Madras, began his aerial mechanics at international cricket with a bang. In 1965 his first Test was against New Zealand at his home ground Chepauk. Instantly his spin and stamina, intelligence and intuition came in for much admiration. The series figures of 21 Test wickets at 19.00 assisted India to win the series. At Delhi the 20 year old engineering student captured 12 for 152 runs to win the deciding Test. A dream of a debut for a young spinner.

 

Venkat was not a cricketer who was mollycoddled and nursed. In those days of limited opportunities there was little scope for such luxuries. Venkat began at a time when Erapalli Prasanna, of guile and cunning, had already revealed his class and Bhagawat Chandrasekher, the ultimate match-winner, was firmly established.

 

Throughout his own distinguished career, Venkat was well aware of the distinguished shadows that stalked him at every step. But far from being overawed, he himself overcame his mid-career diffidence and cut an awesome figure for himself.

 

In that age of magical mesmerists only a very, very capable spinner could hold his own. It needed a man of courage, a man of pride, a man of capability to stake his claim. With a plethora of excellent spinners in the country — Vaman Kumar, Anand Shukla, Padmakar Shivalkar, Bapu Nadkarni, Rajinder Goel, Haider Ali, Ramnarayan, Baloo Gupte, Soumen Kundu, Uday Joshi, Dilip Doshi — it was obviously no easy task to make a name for oneself as a spinner, especially when the cream boasted of Durani, Chandra, Pras and Bishan.

 

Venkat’s primary strength was his attitude. An attitude that breathed positivism with every twirl of his arched fingers. The furrowed eye-brows were perpetually arched as well! Never copied anyone's method or manner. In fact the thought itself would have been obnoxious to the self-respect of this intelligent, articulate, knowledgeable man.

 

 He traversed a path of his own: conventional and classic. The art of spinning and scheming he mastered to perfection. His superior intelligence was a great ally as it helped to convey to him that his craft would be based not on mysticism and mirage, but on consistency and control.

 

Such was his control that it seemed that he held a leash in his hands and made the ball do his bidding. Did not quite believe in giving away runs to buy his wickets. Under no circumstances would he allow the batters the slightest of indulgence. Rather he would keep the batter in thrall and keep a check on his strokes. He relied on tightening the noose till the victim's limp body buckled. No manner or subtlety did he ever entertain. Much like a modern-day Kautiliya.

 

Apart from his undoubted fame as an off-spinner of the highest class, Venkataraghavan became famous for his close-in catching. His fearlessness, fitness, firmness of grip, and reflex made him the safest of catchers at gully, where he generally stayed as a balancing factor to Eknath Solkar at short-leg.

 

Invariably Venkat’s name appears last when we talk of our great spinning quartet. This is no aspersion on his ability. Rather it helped us to judge his other dimensions. He was without doubt the best of the ’dreaded four’ against the left-handed batters. He had a remarkable ability to choke them up and make them gasp for fresh air. He also had an uncanny habit of bowling tight, economical spells in order to force batsmen to take chances at the other end. Well did he realize that he was an ideal foil for his stable-mates: they were not competing against each other, but were partners in the annihilation of oppositions.

 

Venkat’s career had a wide variety of ups and downs. Peculiar in nature and preposterous in the extreme. He led India in the Delhi Test against West Indies in 1974; but in the following Test was relegated to the 12th man's spot! This, of course, could only happen in India.

 

Another unique instance was in the Mumbai Test of 1969 against Australia. The Indian Test XI had already been announced but just before the start of the Test, Venkat was inducted into the XI as the chairman of the national selection committee, Vijay Merchant, prevailed upon pace-bowler Subroto Guha to drop himself from the playing XI! Merchant could not take the public outcry that followed Venkat’s omission!

 

As if these instances were not enough he must be the only international captain to be dropped before a tour was technically over. This ridiculous act happened at the conclusion of the 1979 tour of England, where Venkat led India in the 2nd World Cup as well as in the Test series.

 

 While the India team was on the return flight it was announced by the flight pilot that the India captain for the ensuing series against Australia had been announced and that the captain was no longer Venkataraghavan but Sunil Gavaskar. As the team was still to return to Indian soil, Venkat was technically dethroned on flight!

 

If this was unsavoury, so was his performance in the world cup championships. Twice he led India to the world cup, in 1975 and in 1979. On both occasions the world cup was held in England where 60 overs per side was the norm. Skipper Venkat bowled 72 overs in 6 matches but surprisingly could not take a single wicket!

 

Venkataraghavan has always been a highly spirited cricketer of impeccable credentials. As strict with others as he was with himself. Gutsy fighter that he was, he was intolerant of any measure of lacunae in others. He played hard and quite rightly expected others to do so as well. Players under him for Tamil Nadu and South Zone got his tongue-lashings for the slightest of errors.

 

Once in a Duleep trophy tie at Eden, T Srinivasan held a very low snick off first bounce at first-slip. Did not appeal, but bowler Venkat’s gestures and howls forced the umpire to raise a hesitant, feeble finger. As I (71) walked out in disappointment, my partnership with Uday Bhanu Banerjee (155) came to a sad end. Later Uday told me, “You should have heard Venkat cursing Srini for not appealing!” That’s the way he played his cricket: hard, perhaps a little too hard at times!

 

Venkat was not an artist. Neither in looks nor in manner. I suspect he even took serious steps to show that he was anti-artistry. The craft that he developed was an antithesis to art. There was nothing of ‘hide and seek’ about him; nothing open to subjective discussions. The engineer in him breathed of a bright ‘no-nonsense’ individual with a measuring scale in hand.

 

His craftsmanship was of a high order relying as much on precision as on perseverance. It was this attribute that he brought to his second cricketing career, that of umpiring. This is one job where nothing is left to chance; exacting, precise, objective. Thus by its very nature the umpire's job is thankless.

 

Very few cricketers have the stomach to take up the umpire's exacting work-load. Most players, very surprisingly, lack knowledge of the laws (!) and do not always have the necessary patience and the perspective to learn. In fact very few former players have the character to manfully withstand the criticism directed at umpires.

 

Many former Test cricketers who were pitch-forked into first-class cricket out-of-turn vanished into thin air within a season or two. They knew neither the intricacies of the laws nor did they have the ability to handle players and the communication skills required.

 

Here our Venkat proved to be a rare exception. He not only took up the white coat but proved himself to be as good as any professional umpire in the whole wide world. Venkat's success as an umpire has done Indian cricket proud. Our knowledge, our judgement, our integrity have received their due salutes only because of the extraordinary ability of this man of character and intelligence.

 

Another dimension to the life of this extraordinary cricketer was his contribution as an administrator. As the secretary of the Tamil Nadu Cricket Association (TNCA), he was an outstanding success displaying commendable planning to go with his indefatigable energy. Even a micro-level job like distribution of ‘Press Passes’ would be done with thorough efficiency and courtesy. No wonder TNCA and KSCA are so very highly rated for their general administration. Men like Chidambaram, Venkataraghavan and Srinivasan have left behind a legacy worthy of emulation.

 

Venkat led Tamil Nadu and South Zone with immense success. He guided generations of young men to stardom. He would always be remembered as an off-spinner, as an arbiter and as an administrator of the top drawer. I am sure he would prefer to be considered as a friend of cricket.

 

Had some very meaningful interactions with him. Once at Chepauk where South Zone was hosting East Zone in a Duleep Trophy tie in 1973. Having just failed to overhaul SZ’s first innings total and being involved in a long stand with a tail-ender, I was extremely disappointed and did not wish to take the field after the 10 minutes change-over time. I went to the SZ dressing room and asked the SZ skipper Jaisimha, “Mr Jaisimha, may I please have a substitute to field for me for a short while?”

 

From the reclining seat beside him, his mate Venkataraghavan quipped, “If you can bat for so long, you can go and field as well.” I replied, “Well, whether I shall go to field or not is entirely my concern. I just wanted to know if Mr Jaisimha would allow a substitute to field. Otherwise we shall field with 10 men.” Well aware of the laws, Venky was stunned to find the intricacies of the MCC law staring at him. Jai’s positive vibes ended the significant debate on a point of law that is not generally exercised.

 

Venkat remembered the issue when he came to address the Indian match referees at BCCI way back in 2004. The knowledgeable and confident individual had the vision to highlight the incident to convey to the new match-referees the importance of knowing the intricacies while applying the laws of cricket. Very few Indian Test cricketers are aware of this law. I happen to know one of them!

 

Srinivasraghavan Venkataraghavan remains an exceptional persona in Indian cricket. The only one to have been on the field as a Test player as well as a Test umpire. His knowledge, his intelligence and his demeanor evoked instant respect. An admirable man in every respect.

 

 

 

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