The Hindu : A just reward for Mumbai's favourite cricketing son

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Friday, May 02, 2003

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Sport - Cricket

A just reward for Mumbai's favourite cricketing son

By Our Special Correspondent

Mumbai May 1. Dilip `Colonel' Vengsarkar won an election in thumping fashion on the eve of Maharashtra Day. The city's cricketing community broke into spontaneous celebration at the Wankhede Stadium where the Mumbai Cricket Association's Annual General Meeting and Election was held on Wednesday evening. Another Test cricketer, Lalchand Rajput and former Mumbai captain Milind Rege were elected as Jt. Honorary Secretary and member of the Managing Committee.

Vengsarkar, Rajput and Rege are well known faces. Vengsarkar is the Chairman of the selection committee and Rege a selector in the recent past. Rajput was Mumbai's coach before Chandrakant Pandit was given charge. Two more cricketers won, though it was for the second time Hemant Waingankar was elected to the Managing Committee.

Waingankar was in the Ashok Gandotra led Indian Universities team that toured Sri Lanka three decades ago. He was a seamer, but it was his Bombay-mate Sunil Gavaskar who became a world class opener after this tour. The fifth cricketer to be voted to the committee was Mumbai's former left arm spinner Sanjay Patil.

Pandit was a popular cricketer involved in coaching and expected to win. He had an excellent rapport with the 323 Club members. He has been Mumbai's coach for two years and will be in charge of the team when Mumbai takes on Tamil Nadu in the Ranji Trophy final from Sunday.

Pandit polled a 142 votes, three less than the eleventh man elected to the committee. Mumbai's away match against Baroda for the Ranji Trophy semifinal did not give him sufficient time to meet the club representatives personally. Pandit lost.

Electoral politics can be cruel. It humbles the most famous. Vengsarkar found it out four years ago when he lost by 20 votes for the post of Vice-President. He was one of India's great batsmen of the 1980s, but was always in the shadow of Gavaskar and Gundappa Viswanath. On his first tour of the West Indies in 1976 he faced Michael Holding and Co. with guts and was praised by none other than Clive Lloyd. Three Test centuries at the Lord's Cricket Ground bestowed on him honour and prestige. He was part of the 1983 World Cup winning Indian team.

Repaying to the game

After his retirement he wanted to give back to the game that gave him name and fame. He did not say it, he straightaway got down to the business of establishing his own academy at `The Oval' beneath Rajabhai Towers. He roped in Elf Lubricants as his partner and revamped the North end of Oval. For almost a decade the Elf Vengsarkar Academy has been the hub of cricketing activities for Mumbai's junior cricketers. He orgainsed tournaments and generally provided opportunities and exposure.

Vengsarkar gave plenty of time for the juniors and became a senior selector of the Mumbai selection committee of which he is the chairman now. His work as head of the BCCI's Talent Resource Development Wing has been appreciated. He was responsible for Ambati Rayudu's selection for the under-19 team's tour of England last summer because he felt the Hyderabad boy was the best among his peers. He managed to change the composition of the team after the junior selectors did not pick him for the tour.

Great talent-hunter

There's no doubt that Vengsarkar has proved to be a great talent-hunter. He saw 15 year-old Rakesh Solanki and immediately told Kiran More that the left-hander has the calling to advance in his career and make it to the Indian team in the future. Solanki who impressed against Mumbai is being given all the encouragement by his association. "His attitude off the field is like Salim Durani's. He is care free, but very talented,'' said Vengsarkar.

Vengsarkar's defeat four years ago hurt many in the cricketing community. Four years later he joined a group and campaigned hard. He travelled and met almost all the representatives many of whom were mightily pleased to meet a cricketer who was once their favourite and hero. They voted for him in big numbers, 245 out of 323 put a cross mark against his name. In a way, Vengsarkar, has become Mumbai's favourite cricketing son.

His excellent work as the Chairman TRDO, BCCI and contribution for the development of junior cricket stood him in good stead. All he had to do was meet the club's representatives for a warm and firm handshake. Opting to work with senior administrators like Ravi Sawant, Prof. Ratnakar Shetty and Ramesh Kosambia was a big advantage. Lalchand Rajput too benefited because of his association with these people.

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