When N Srinivasan wanted S Badrinath over Virat Kohli

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Dilip Vengsarkar, who was the chairman of the BCCI selection committee, was 'removed' for picking Virat Kohli.

Chennai: Dilip Vengsarkar was the chairman of the BCCI selection committee when Virat Kohli made his ODI debut against Sri Lanka in 2008. It was Vengsarkar who handpicked the Delhi batsman out of an Emerging players tour to Australia.

However, the decision to select Kohli eventually resulted in Vengsarkar being removed, according to TV journalist Rajdeep Sardesai’s latest book - Democracy’s XI.

Some of the other selectors preferred Tamil Nadu’s S. Badrinath but Vengsarkar was insistent even as the then Board treasurer N. Srinivasan took the matter to the president Sharad Pawar.

“When N. Srinivasan, then board treasurer and controller of Tamil Nadu cricket, found out I had dropped Badrinath for Virat, he was livid and went and complained to the board president Sharad Pawar. The next day I was removed as chairman of selectors but fortunately they couldn’t change my decision to pick Virat,” Vengsarkar was quoted as saying.

Despite inspiring India to triumph in the U-19 World Cup in 2008, the transition to the senior team was a bit of a struggle for Kohli who found himself in and out of the XI scoring two fifties in his first 10 innings. To make matters worse, Kohli drew flake for his flamboyance. Kohli had become a victim of an “image trap”, according to another selector.

“We were being fed stories of how Virat was binge-drinking in the 2009 IPL in South Africa and was more interested in his hairstyle and tattoos than his cricket,” a selector was quoted as saying in the book.

Kohli, however, dismissed these report as “unfair rumours” and described the 2008-09 season a “depressing period”.

Among those who supported Kohli was Yuvraj Singh, who had similarly been charismatic during at the start of his career.

“I think I once told Virat quite seriously that ‘if you want to be a top class player, don’t copy me, make Sachin your inspiration. Be disciplined like him, not carefree like me’,” Yuvraj said.

Kohli has come a long way from a chubby teenager to one of the fittest athletes. The change first began in 2012 after a tour to Australia.

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http://www.deccanchronicle.com/sports/c ... kohli.html

[Paddles]

Haha - poor bugger.

But at the time - was it the best decision?

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N Srinivasan was a big time crook, so also Sharad Pawar. In fact most cricketing board officials. Not sure about NZ. Indian, Australian, WI, Pak boards all crooks of the first order.

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Today, it may look like Srinivasan was wrong and Vengsarkar was right, but back then Badrinath was considered one of the most promising batsmen around whereas Kohli was just an u-19 player. So Srinivasan was not really wrong in backing Badrinath at that time. It is another matter that Badrinath failed to capitalise on the chances that he got.

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Badrinath, Badani etc never justified selection. Badrinath was superb in domestic cricket but not cut out for internationals.

[Boycs]

The ranji trophy is replete with massive batting averages, disproportionately so compared to other domestic competitions

[Paddles]

The ranji trophy is replete with massive batting averages, disproportionately so compared to other domestic competitions

Why does this irk you so?

The ranji trophy does a good job of getting batsmen ready to play in India. It also produces an arsenal of spinners who are wicket takers in India.

While it might not prepare Kambli for a fast bouncer assault or tonnes of batsmen to make hay in English swing conditions, it is achieving its primary role.

While Australia is looking to possibly rejink its FC structures with getting players better prepared for England it may;

1 Still do nothing; and only looking into options as,
2 It is because it cares about the Ashes so much.

The first step for intl achievement is to not lose at home, the final step is to win away.