Dilip Vengsarkar
Encyclopedia
Dilip Balwant Vengsarkar (born 6 April 1956) is an Indian cricket
er and cricket administrator. He was one of the most stylish batsmen of his time, known as one of the foremost exponents of the drive. He was also known by the nickname 'Colonel'.
Vengsarkar made his international cricket debut against New Zealand at Auckland
in 1975–76 as an opening batsmen. India won this Test convincingly, but he did not have much success.
He played a memorable innings in 1979 against Asif Iqbal's Pakistan team in the 2nd Test at Feroz Shah Kotla, Delhi. Requiring 390 to win on the final day, he led India's chase getting the team very close to a victory. India ended up with 364 for 6, just 26 runs short of what would have been a remarkable win. With Yashpal Sharma
, Kapil Dev
and Roger Binny
back to the pavilion after Tea break, Vengsarkar saw himself running out of partners and decided to play the last few overs for a draw. He remained unbeaten at 146.
He was a member of the 1983 World Champion's team
. He had a productive run of scores between 1985 and 1987, where he scored centuries against Pakistan
, Australia, England, West Indies and Sri Lanka
, many of them in successive games. At this pinnacle of his career, He was rated as the best batsmen in the Coopers and Lybrand rating (a predecessor of the PWC ratings).
While the West Indies pacemen dominated the cricket world, Dilip Vengsarkar was one of the few batsmen who was successful against them, and scored 6 centuries against the likes of Marshall, Holding and Roberts.
He also scored a century at Lord's
in 1986 and thereby attaining the distinction of scoring three consecutive Test match
centuries at Lord's. For his effort to help India win the Test series in England (a rare feat in itself) he was awarded the Man of the Series award. For Test matches played in India, he has one of the highest batting averages.
Vengsarkar took over the captaincy from Kapil Dev
after the 1987 Cricket World Cup
, despite criticism that he missed the semi-final match due to a stomach disorder resulting from sea food allergy. Although he started with two centuries in his first series as captain, his captaincy period was turbulent and he lost the job following a disastrous tour of the West Indies in early 1989 and a stand-off with the Indian cricket board (BCCI
).
, Dilip opted out because of his policy against zonal representation. Dilip Vengsarkar was made the Chairman of the Talent Resource Development Wing
(TRDW) when it was created in 2002 to develop cricket talent within the country. The TRDW program also had the support of Brijesh Patel
..
In March 2006, BCCI proposed the name of Vengsarkar for match referee, but the proposal did not move forward as Vengsarkar accepted the job as chairman of selectors of the BCCI in September 2006 - in contrast to his stance on zonal representation a decade ago.
He runs three cricket academies, two in Mumbai and one in Pune. These academies give cricket training free of cost to the selected players selected on their skill level.
Cricket
Cricket is a bat-and-ball game played between two teams of 11 players on an oval-shaped field, at the centre of which is a rectangular 22-yard long pitch. One team bats, trying to score as many runs as possible while the other team bowls and fields, trying to dismiss the batsmen and thus limit the...
er and cricket administrator. He was one of the most stylish batsmen of his time, known as one of the foremost exponents of the drive. He was also known by the nickname 'Colonel'.
Vengsarkar made his international cricket debut against New Zealand at Auckland
Auckland
The Auckland metropolitan area , in the North Island of New Zealand, is the largest and most populous urban area in the country with residents, percent of the country's population. Auckland also has the largest Polynesian population of any city in the world...
in 1975–76 as an opening batsmen. India won this Test convincingly, but he did not have much success.
He played a memorable innings in 1979 against Asif Iqbal's Pakistan team in the 2nd Test at Feroz Shah Kotla, Delhi. Requiring 390 to win on the final day, he led India's chase getting the team very close to a victory. India ended up with 364 for 6, just 26 runs short of what would have been a remarkable win. With Yashpal Sharma
Yashpal Sharma
Yashpal Sharma is a former Indian cricketer. He was a middle order batsman who played at the turn of the 1980s.-Early career:...
, Kapil Dev
Kapil Dev
Kapil Dev Ramlal Nikhanj , better known as Kapil Dev, is a former Indian cricketer. He captained the Indian cricket team which won the 1983 Cricket World Cup...
and Roger Binny
Roger Binny
Roger Michael Humphrey Binny is an Indian former cricket all-rounder who is best known for his impressive bowling performance in the 1983 Cricket World Cup where he was the highest wicket-taker , and in the 1985 World Series Cricket Championship in Australia where he repeated this feat .Binny...
back to the pavilion after Tea break, Vengsarkar saw himself running out of partners and decided to play the last few overs for a draw. He remained unbeaten at 146.
He was a member of the 1983 World Champion's team
1983 Cricket World Cup
The 1983 ICC Cricket World Cup was the third edition of the ICC Cricket World Cup tournament. It was held from 9 June to 25 June 1983 in England and was won by India. Eight countries participated in the event. The preliminary matches were played in two groups of four teams each, and each...
. He had a productive run of scores between 1985 and 1987, where he scored centuries against Pakistan
Pakistan
Pakistan , officially the Islamic Republic of Pakistan is a sovereign state in South Asia. It has a coastline along the Arabian Sea and the Gulf of Oman in the south and is bordered by Afghanistan and Iran in the west, India in the east and China in the far northeast. In the north, Tajikistan...
, Australia, England, West Indies and Sri Lanka
Sri Lanka
Sri Lanka, officially the Democratic Socialist Republic of Sri Lanka is a country off the southern coast of the Indian subcontinent. Known until 1972 as Ceylon , Sri Lanka is an island surrounded by the Indian Ocean, the Gulf of Mannar and the Palk Strait, and lies in the vicinity of India and the...
, many of them in successive games. At this pinnacle of his career, He was rated as the best batsmen in the Coopers and Lybrand rating (a predecessor of the PWC ratings).
While the West Indies pacemen dominated the cricket world, Dilip Vengsarkar was one of the few batsmen who was successful against them, and scored 6 centuries against the likes of Marshall, Holding and Roberts.
He also scored a century at Lord's
Lord's Cricket Ground
Lord's Cricket Ground is a cricket venue in St John's Wood, London. Named after its founder, Thomas Lord, it is owned by Marylebone Cricket Club and is the home of Middlesex County Cricket Club, the England and Wales Cricket Board , the European Cricket Council and, until August 2005, the...
in 1986 and thereby attaining the distinction of scoring three consecutive Test match
Test cricket
Test cricket is the longest form of the sport of cricket. Test matches are played between national representative teams with "Test status", as determined by the International Cricket Council , with four innings played between two teams of 11 players over a period of up to a maximum five days...
centuries at Lord's. For his effort to help India win the Test series in England (a rare feat in itself) he was awarded the Man of the Series award. For Test matches played in India, he has one of the highest batting averages.
Vengsarkar took over the captaincy from Kapil Dev
Kapil Dev
Kapil Dev Ramlal Nikhanj , better known as Kapil Dev, is a former Indian cricketer. He captained the Indian cricket team which won the 1983 Cricket World Cup...
after the 1987 Cricket World Cup
1987 Cricket World Cup
The 1987 Cricket World Cup was the fourth edition of the ICC Cricket World Cup tournament. It was held from October 8 to November 8, 1987 in India and Pakistan — the first held outside England. The format was unchanged from 1983 except for a reduction in the number of overs a team played from 60...
, despite criticism that he missed the semi-final match due to a stomach disorder resulting from sea food allergy. Although he started with two centuries in his first series as captain, his captaincy period was turbulent and he lost the job following a disastrous tour of the West Indies in early 1989 and a stand-off with the Indian cricket board (BCCI
Board of Control for Cricket in India
The Board of Control for Cricket in India , headquartered at Mumbai, is the national governing body for all cricket in India. It's not the apex governing body in India. The board was formed in December 1928 as BCCI replaced Calcutta Cricket Club. BCCI is a society, registered under the Tamil Nadu...
).
Awards
- Dilip Vengsarkar was awarded the Arjuna AwardArjuna awardThe Arjuna Awards were instituted in 1961 by the government of India to recognize outstanding achievement in National sports. The award carries a cash prize of 500,000, a bronze statuette of Arjuna and a scroll....
for his on-field performances in 1981
- For his contribution to the Indian cricket the Government of IndiaGovernment of IndiaThe Government of India, officially known as the Union Government, and also known as the Central Government, was established by the Constitution of India, and is the governing authority of the union of 28 states and seven union territories, collectively called the Republic of India...
decorated him with the Padma ShriPadma ShriPadma Shri is the fourth highest civilian award in the Republic of India, after the Bharat Ratna, the Padma Vibhushan and the Padma Bhushan...
honor in 1987.
- Wisden Cricketers of the YearWisden Cricketers of the YearThe Wisden Cricketers of the Year are cricketers selected for the honour by the annual publication Wisden Cricketers' Almanack, based primarily on their "influence on the previous English season"...
in 1987
Administrator
In his retirement life, Dilip Vengsarkar started the Elf-Vengsarkar Academy in 1995. Vengsarkar became the Vice-President for the Mumbai Cricket Association in 2003. Though, he was the front runner for the post of the Chairman, Selection CommitteeIndian national cricket selectors
Indian National Cricket Selectors is a committee of cricket administrators whose responsibility is the selection of cricket team to represent India at various levels...
, Dilip opted out because of his policy against zonal representation. Dilip Vengsarkar was made the Chairman of the Talent Resource Development Wing
Talent Resource Development Wing
The Talent Resource Development Wing was an initiative of the Board of Control for Cricket in India to spot local talent, looking beyond the established cricketing centers...
(TRDW) when it was created in 2002 to develop cricket talent within the country. The TRDW program also had the support of Brijesh Patel
Brijesh Patel
Brijesh Patel grew up in Bangalore is an Indian cricketer who played for the Indian national cricket team as a right-handed batsman from 1974 until 1979....
..
In March 2006, BCCI proposed the name of Vengsarkar for match referee, but the proposal did not move forward as Vengsarkar accepted the job as chairman of selectors of the BCCI in September 2006 - in contrast to his stance on zonal representation a decade ago.
He runs three cricket academies, two in Mumbai and one in Pune. These academies give cricket training free of cost to the selected players selected on their skill level.