Getting your name on the Lord’s Honours board ‘once’ is every Test cricketer’s dream. Former India captain Dilip Vengsarkar has his name etched on that board thrice – yes, thrice. His batting exploits are well known and his sixteen year old long career has seen runs being scored with a lot of flourish at home and abroad.
As a mark of recognition, Vengsarkar is all set to be the recipient of the Col. C.K. Nayudu Lifetime Achievement Award during the BCCI Awards function to be held on Friday; the same night when India are set to fly to Australia for a rigorous Test and ODI series Down Under.
Vengsarkar took some time off for BCCI.TV, and reflected upon his prestigious award, his love affair with Lord’s and the all-important India tour of Australia.
Excerpts from the interview
What does the Col. C.K. Nayudu Lifetime Achievement Award mean to you?
It is a very important award in the life of any Indian cricketer because it is the highest ranked cricketing award in India. I am no exception and it is an honour and privilege for me that the BCCI has conferred this prestigious award on me. It is a fantastic initiative by the BCCI to recognise achievements of past cricketers. I feel the BCCI is the only board that has been looking after its former cricketers a lot. No other board takes care of their ex-cricketers the way the BCCI does.
How does it feel to join the list of some Indian cricketing greats like Ajit Wadekar, Sunil Gavaskar etc who have been recipients of the Award in the past?
The entire list is full of legends and it is a privilege for me to be a part of the same list. I have watched Ajit Wadekar and Salim Durani play for India and they were our heroes and to be in the same group as theirs is a great feeling. Me and Sunil Gavaskar go back a long way right since our club cricketing days to representing the country together. We have shared some great partnerships on the field and I have enjoyed playing with him.
The very mention of Vengsarkar the batsman rolls our memories back to your three centuries at Lord’s. What made you the Lord of Lord’s?
(Laughs) There are some grounds where you always get a feeling you are going to get runs and Lord’s was definitely one of them. Lord’s which is known as the home of cricket has a rich cultural heritage and I think is one of the best grounds in the world. It has an electrifying atmosphere when it has a full house and brings the best out of a cricketer. Any player would like to do his best at Lord’s. Lord’s to cricket is like what Wimbledon is to tennis.
Your contributions to Indian cricket on the field are well known. How have you been serving Indian cricket after retirement?
I have three cricket academies. I have two in Mumbai and one in Pune and many junior cricketers have gone on to play for their states and for India through those academies. I have been the chairman of talent spotters for a long time and I enjoy it immensely. Many players who have played for India or are playing for India at the moment have been spotted by my team and groomed at the NCA. It is has been like an extent of my life to Indian cricket.
You are known for your batting exploits overseas, what is the key to becoming a successful batsman on foreign soil?
Just one word – Adaptability. It is important to adapt quickly to the conditions and the wickets. How you adapt and get into your own groove and get a taste of everything around you holds the key to be successful overseas. Certain players adapt quickly while there are some who take their time. It depends on the player’s ability to adapt to different conditions and situations.
India tour Australia next and suffered a 4-0 Test series defeat last time they toured Australia. Do you think this Indian side can put up a better show this time around?
Definitely. There are some good and talented youngsters in this Indian squad and they are in form. They were exceptional against Sri Lanka in the ODI series in India. India are a great side in the ODIs and T20 formats and obviously the Test matches in Australia are bound to be a tougher challenge. I am sure they will acclimatise to the conditions quickly because our players are good on hard wickets. They are used to playing on hard wickets and I have a strong feeling they will perform well.
Suresh Raina, is making a comeback in the Test squad, how do you see him performing on fast and bouncy pitches in Australia? Would you pick him in your playing eleven?
Raina has been around for quite some time now and I believe he is a much matured and experienced cricketer now. I think he will bring all his experience into play when he plays in Australia. It is too early to comment on the playing eleven and combinations and it is up to the team management to play the best eleven on the day.
How important is this Australia tour for Rohit Sharma who is in the form of his life and looking to revive his Test career?
It is an important series for every player in that Indian Test squad, not just Rohit Sharma. If a player performs overseas, the value of his performances increases because scoring runs and picking wickets outside the subcontinent is not easy. This Australian tour will be an important one for each and every member in that Test squad.
What are your views on Ajinkya Rahane who has a vital role to play in the middle-order? Are there any nuances of his game that you have observed and he needs to work on?
Ajinkya is technically very strong and his basics are very good. We saw that in England and he even got a century at Lord’s which goes to show what a good batsman he is. He along with Murali Vijay were amongst the batting highlights in England. Ajinkya would be looking to continue his fine form in Australia as well and I don’t feel the need for him to make many changes in his batting.
