New Delhi: The epithets of colossus and regal were reserved for Sunil Gavaskar and Gundappa Viswanath but Dilip Vengsarkar has no regrets that he was not as feted as his two illustrious colleagues. He said he cherished an ‘extremely fulfilling’ career.
Vengsarkar, who turned 64 Monday, was India’s batting mainstay during the mid 1980s when he outscored the iconic Gavaskar as his upright stance and ability to play swing and spin with aplomb was a delight for Test afficianados.
“When I look back, it’s been a very happy and fulfilling journey. Playing 116 Tests for India is the biggest satisfaction. Add to it, the 129 ODIs, winning the World Cup (1983, he played two matches) and the World Championship of Cricket. And to top it all, being an India captain. It was a great journey,” the man known fondly as the ‘Colonel’ of Indian cricket said Monday.
Being the only international cricketer outside England to hit three successive hundreds at Lord’s and raise six centuries at home against the fearsome West Indies attack of the 1970s and 1980s, does he feel that he did not get the recognition he deserved.
“That’s basically destiny,” Dilip Vegsarkar said in a pragmatic tone. “You had to work hard, play honestly and win matches for your team. That should be the goal for every cricketer. Whatever accomplishments that come along the way and whatever recognition you get, whether you got your due or not, it is purely destiny,” the batting stalwart added.
Vengsarkar did fall out of favour with cricket establishment in 1989 when he played a few friendly matches (‘Masala matches was the coinage used in Indian cricket) in the United States and was stripped of captaincy. He missed a series in Pakistan and also missed a series in New Zealand (due to injury). By the time he came back for the Australia series, he was at the end of his career.
Finishing with nearly 7,000 Test runs (6868), does it hurt him that he probably could have closed in on may be 9,000 runs had his career not hit a roadblock after the 1989 tour of West Indies.
“Just like in life, there are no ifs and buts in cricket. In hindsight, you can say so many things but I don’t believe in ifs and buts. So whatever happened has happened,” Dilip Vengsarkar said in a nonchalant manner.
Nowadays, Indian batsmen are seen struggling against spinners be it Moeen Ali or Nathan Lyon but it was Vengsarkar’s smashing hundred as a teenager against the likes of Bishan Singh Bedi and Erapalli Prasanna (Mumbai vs Rest of India in Irani Cup) that got him fast-tracked into the Indian team.
“Nowadays, the amount of international cricket played is huge. In my time, I had a lot of time to play domestic matches like Ranji Trophy and Duleep Trophy. I played a lot of club cricket for Dadar Union even when I was an established India player. I played office cricket,” informed ‘Colonel’
“Unfortunately, the current generation, they don’t get an opportunity to play domestic cricket. If you are not playing domestic cricket then you adjust. Fast or spin, its aobut adjustment. Bottom line is scoring runs whether you are playing at Lord’s, Headingey or Eden Gardens. Read the wicket, see the situation, adapt to the wicket is what matters. Those things you learn as you play more,” the stylish batsman signed off.
Agencies