To play one leading role in cricket is admirable and to excel in two or three different `avatars’ is really praiseworthy. But when a well-known cricketer takes up nine roles and does full justice to them, one can only hail him as the `Navaratri’ of Indian cricket.
Srinivasraghavan Venkatraghavan who turns 80 on April 21 has achieved international renown in as many roles. As player, captain, manager, administrator, selector, columnist, expert commentator, match referee and umpire, Venkat has achieved the kind of fame that has made him a durable cricketing personality.
No cricketer in the game’s history has served the game in so many capacities and with such undisguised enthusiasm and distinction. Over the years he has acquired a CV that is unmatched.
Venkat represented the country in 57 Tests from 1965 to 1983, was captain in five Tests and the first two World Cup competitions, a manager who doubled up as a coach on the tours of Australia in 1985-86 and West Indies in 1989, was secretary of the Tamil Nadu Cricket Association from 1986 to 1989, national selector in 1991-92, a regular and respected columnist for newspapers and magazines for many years, expert commentator for TV for innumerable Tests and ODIs, ICC match referee in the late 80s and early 90s and ICC elite panel umpire who officiated in 73 Tests and 52 ODIs. Has any other cricketer run up a resume even half as varied and impressive?
Despite all this Venkat’s chief claim to fame is being a member of the famed spin quartet – Bishen Bedi, Erapalli Prasanna and BS Chandrasekhar being the others – that played a notable part in the upsurge in India’s cricketing fortunes in the 60s and 70s. Venkat himself played a leading role in some of the most famous victories of the period, his probing off spin leading batsmen to their doom. He also kept himself physically very fit in the days when this aspect was not of a very high priority. The result was that he was the only one of the quartet to play on till the 80s. His longevity – February 1965 to September 1983 – gives him the third longest Test career in Indian cricket after Sachin Tendulkar and Lala Amarnath.
All this can be achieved only by a man who thinks deeply about the game, is passionate about it and is able to analyze issues objectively. Venkat’s transition from player and captain to match referee and umpire was quite natural. As player and captain, he was always interested in the cerebral aspects of the game and made a close study of the laws. He was a sound leader not only tactically, but also technically. Indeed, in the days when he was captain, I frequently saw Venkat question the umpires on a point of law! With this background, his taking to umpiring did not come as a surprise but few would have expected him to emerge as one of the leading officials in the world.
But then for Venkat, there are no half measures. His attitude has always been that anything worth doing is worth doing not just well but very well. His initial study of the laws and the interest in the technical aspects of the game did come in handy but Venkat also brought to a rather lacklustre job the stamp of authority. He had played the game at the highest level for many years and had led his country. No other umpire in the history of international cricket could boast of these credentials which in turn led players to respect Venkat’s decisions.
Venkat took the onerous duties of an umpire as seriously as he took his playing and his captaincy. He displayed all the attributes a good official needs – intense concentration, utmost dedication, a thorough knowledge of the rules and the happy knack of keeping everything under control on the field whenever things got hot. Slow motion TV replays are harsh on umpires, exposing their ignorance or incompetence but it can justifiably be said that overall, Venkat has emerged as one of the umpires least scathed by this technology. He has won the respect of players, fellow umpires and administrators alike.
If Venkat’s transition from playing to umpiring was not surprising, his emergence as an administrator did raise a few eyebrows. There was never any hint that he was interested in sitting behind the desk in the secretary’s office at the MA Chidambaram stadium and directing operations. But after being elected to the post of TNCA secretary in 1986, Venkat plunged headlong into his duties. There were doubts initially whether he would be up to his responsibilities in an almost entirely new field. But he surprised everyone by taking quick decisions, formulating plans for the welfare of the players and striking up sponsorship deals for maintaining the stadium and the ground. He also proved to be a lucky secretary during his three-year tenure. A few months after he took over, there was the historic occasion of Tied Test II at the Chidambaram stadium and in 1988, Tamil Nadu regained the Ranji Trophy after 33 years.
It was Venkat’s stature as a player and captain that saw him elevated to the post of manager. Indeed, when he was first appointed manager of the Indian team to Australia in November, 1985, Venkat had announced his retirement from first class cricket only a few months before.
This is how he was eminently qualified to double up as coach. He was still a pretty handy off spinner and bowled to the players at the nets, besides giving them the benefit of his immense wealth of experience and technical expertise. He was also an expert in analyzing pitches. Venkat had a second stint in the post with the Indian side in the West Indies in 1989.
Following these varied experiences, it was but inevitable that Venkat should wield both the pen and the microphone. The combination of good English and his technical knowledge of the game made him the ideal candidate for a guest columnist or expert commentator.
His lucid analysis of the players and various aspects of the game were closely followed and it was a pity that his innumerable interests restricted his role in these two fields to a unhappily short time.
A rage for perfection was Venkat’s hallmark in his playing days. There was no lack of concentration, dedication and determination on his part. To his inborn talent, he added the all-important quality of hard work. On the field, he gave his all, whether batting, bowling, fielding or captaining. Rightly or wrongly he expected the other players to do the same and used to get upset when he saw young players wasting their talent by not willing to work hard, by displaying a lack of commitment, or being lethargic, cavalier or casual in their approach. When he felt that he was not getting the utmost co-operation or that the players were not trying as hard as they should be, he gave vent to his feelings in unmistakable terms. Over the years though, he has mellowed with age especially after he took up yoga. A few years ago when I mentioned about his increasing mellow attitude Venkat said “yes, that’s because yoga has turned me into a saint.’’
