1984-2002 – A playback of Indian selectors’ playing days
From Chetan Sharma’s WC hat-trick to Salil Ankola’s debut Test which became fabled, a look back at playing days of India’s new selectors
India’s new set of five wise men didn’t have the most storied of careers. But if they show an eye for talent, there’s a lot they can draw from the rejections they faced in their own careers. Here’s a brief look back at the playing careers of the Chetan Sharma-led selection committee.
Chetan Sharma
The most experienced in the selection committee – he made his India Test debut in 1984 against Pakistan. Between 1984-89, he played a sizeable number of Tests for India, serving as an understudy to Kapil Dev. His best performance came in England in 1986 when he took 16 wickets in two Tests, including a ten-wicket haul. The following year, he rose in the ranks by picking up a World Cup hat-trick against New Zealand.
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Shiv Sundar Das
Das, a diminutive Test opener with a compact technique, he scored two hundreds in home Tests against Zimbabwe. He would remember the 2001 Bloemfontein Test match fondly where he held his own against Shaun Pollock and company during his 62-run-innings, stitching partnerships with Rahul Dravid and VVS Laxman. Virender Sehwag made his Test debut in the same match.
Salil Ankola
Ankola’s Test career started and ended with the 1989 Test match against Pakistan in Karachi. He couldn’t add to his 2-wicket Test tally but walked away with stories that would last a lifetime. His fellow debutants were Sachin Tendulkar and Waqar Younis, who would go on to rule world cricket. Ankola, running in with his long run-up, competed in 20 ODIs for India, his best being a 3-wicket haul in the 1993 Hero Cup at Mohali against South Africa.
Subroto Banerjee
An MRF pace Foundation-find, Banerjee began his Test career brightly in the Sydney Test match of 1992 with 3 early wickets but didn’t play another Test match. He too walked away with stories to treasure, it being the same Test where Shane Warne debuted and one in which Ravi Shastri scored a double ton. Banerjee would go on to play 6 ODIs, including an impressive debut outing at Perth where he picked up a 3-wicket haul against West Indies, which India managed to tie after being skittled out for 126.
Sridharan Sharath
Sharath, a domestic stalwart for Tamil Nadu, didn’t have a batting style that would draw the fans in but he sure put a high value to his wicket. He finished with a first-class average of 51.17. The selectors never had the confidence that he could carry his domestic form to international cricket, but he would regret not being able to make the most of tour game opportunities he got in his career – one against South Africa in 1996 and Sri Lanka in 1997.