An Emotional Ravi Shastri
The BCCI conferred Ravi Shastri with the C.K.Naidu Lifetime Achievement Award on the 23rd of January, in a glittering ceremony at Hyderabad, duly recognising Ravi Shastri’s contribution to Indian Cricket as a player, coach and commentator (Farokh Engineer and Dilip Vengsarkar too received the award). It was an emotional moment for Shastri as he thanked the Board and expressed his gratitude to the cricketing fraternity, with which he has been associated since his debut in 1981. So interesting has been Shastri’s journey, that a post on him had to be written.
The In-depth Cricketer
A tall, lanky, left-arm, orthodox bowler and a fine fielder was Ravi Shastri when he arrived on the scene after a good showing for Bombay ( now Mumbai ) in the Ranji Trophy. However, he quickly transformed into a fine bat, with a tight technique, a stubborn defence and the ability to hit the ball long when it mattered. And it was not too long before Ravi Shastri started opening the innings for India. He went on to play 80 Test Matches scoring 11 hundreds and picking up 151 wickets in a career spanning 11 years, wherein he played some crucial knocks and bowled some brilliant spells to take India home. Ravi Shastri left the scene in 1992, aged just 30.
The Champion of Champions
His high point was undoubtedly being crowned the Champion of Champions and winning the Audi at the Benson & Hedges World Series in Australia in the year 1985. Ravi Shastri became the toast of a nation which revelled in his success and poured its adulation onto him with gay abandon. India had a Hero and the achievement and the jubilation around was so momentous that it has remained firmly etched in Indian Cricketing History. But Ravi had his ups and downs and his fair share of struggles as his career shaped up.
An Able Leader
The statistics have a story to tell, however, my mind wanders to the facts which the statistics would never be able to explain. Ravi Shastri was a tough bloke and had the gumption to face up to any opposition. In those times Cricket was not a money spinner as it is now, and cricketers like Ravi Shastri wore the India Cap with great pride. Though I was still very much in school those days, I strongly felt that Ravi Shastri had great leadership qualities too and though he was always tipped to lead India post the Kapil Dev era, sadly he could never become India’s captain.
The Positive & The Fearless
He was a benevolent cricketer too and helped many to realise their dreams of playing for India and helped resurrect many a career not only during his playing days but also as a Coach and Manager. His positivity and a strong zeal to perform overseas surely rubbed on to the boys, who under his tutelage became fearless travellers. India recorded some fine victories abroad under his coaching tenure, particularly in Australia and England and achieved the numero uno position in both Red Ball and White Ball Formats.
A Virtuoso Sportscaster
The ‘gift of gab’ was another mighty virtue which propelled Ravi Shastri to a legendary status when it came to commentating on the Sport. The poise, the fluency and the emotion balanced out seamlessly in his oratory and his astute analysis and reading of the game assured authenticity to his performance in the ComBox. It has to be said that Ravi Shastri did well wherever he put his hand to.
Without an iota of doubt, Ravi Shastri deserves every bit of the Lifetime Achievement Award for his service to the game and the impact it has had on Indian Cricket.
Keep Going Shaz !!
Read Quick, Read Better @ rizkhan.in