An off spinner who was both accurate and penetrative,
Srinivasaraghavan Venkataraghavan was a member of the famous spin
quartet which teased and tormented batsmen the world over for well
over a decade.
The International career of Venkat, who remained very fit throughout
his playing days, lasted from February 1965 to September 1983, one of
the longest for an Indian player. Not yet out of his teens when he
made his Test debut, Venkat made an immediate impact on the
international arena by taking 21 wickets in four Tests against New
Zealand including a match haul of 12 wickets in the final game at New
Delhi.
One of the highlights of his career was a haul of 5-95 in the West
Indies second innings at Port of Spain in 1970-71 that lifted India to
their first Test win in the Caribbean. He led India in the first two
World Cup competitions and also on the tour of England in 1979. Venkat
was also an excellent close-in fielder. He retired from first class
cricket in 1985 after taking the second biggest haul of wickets in the
Ranji Trophy - 530. In retirement, Venkat has kept in close touch with
the game either as an administrator, manager of touring Indian teams
and now as a respected international umpire. He is also currently a
committee member of the National Cricket Academy in Bangalore.
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