My Karnataka State Ranji Dream Team

MY KARNATAKA  STATE RANJI  DREAM  TEAM  ( PERIOD 1975-2000)

Off late  during the  Lock down  times, I see  many  articles  in  news papers and  in the  net on few  celebrity cricketers picking  up  their  Dream XI across  formats  and  under  different headings, so I thought  why  I  also  not choose ( I am no celebrity but a passionate  cricket  follower ) a  Dream XI for  our  Own State , Karnataka  , Who have played  in Ranji Trophy. I had  to have a  Start  and end Point , so I kept starting as  1975, when I started  following Cricket as 7/8 year old  and  kept  end as  2000, keeping the  span as  25 years.  So  here  goes  my  team  in Batting Order.

1)The  Openers :  Well  it  was  very  easy to  select  first one, it had  to  Be  RMH Binny , ( he always  opened  when he played  for  his  state )and has  an awesome  record  too . Not many  might remmeber  his  record breaking  stand of  450 + runs  for  first wicket with Sanjay Desai, in  Ranji match  against  Kerala I think.  Binny  will be  opening my bowling also, so  True All  Rounder.

For  opener slot, I have  choosen J Arun Kumar ( JAK) ,  a sad  case who  never  played for  India  even though he had  abundance of  talent  . The  two closest  who gave  JAK some competion was  MR Srinivas  Prasad and  Carlton Saldhana, again talented  cricketers who never played  for  India

3)Critical  # 3 Position : Who else  can it be  other  than  the  WALL, Rahul Dravid, .Yes  he might not have contributed  to Karnataka  as  much he did  for  India , but he went thro  the  grind  of  State Level  Cricket  and  when ever  he got a  chance he always  played  for  Karnataka. Honestly no contender  for  this  place, may be  closest  was  AV Jayaprakash, but he  was  more  popular as  an international  Umpire  later  in his  carrer

4)Now the  Crucial  # 4 and  # 5 : Well  it has  to be  these  two, My  Little  master , GR Vishwanath ( as per  me  greatest  batsman India  has produced until now) and  the  smart, Stylish Brijesh Patel ( a  brilliant  fielder  in Cover  area, but  a disappointing  batsmen when ever  he  played  for India)  .

Well  contenders  for  BP place ( for GRV it can be Nobody ), I  think of  two,  R Sudhakar Rao , a contemporary of both  and  Sujit  Somasundar . Both incidentally played ODI matches for  India.

5)Now  for  All  Rounder  Spot, it was  Stiff  competition  between  Kartik Jeshwant  and  Vijay Bhardwaj , and  I choose  Jeshwant  due  to number  of key  Innings  he had  played  at crucial  times and  he is  a superior  bowler ( slow  left  arm) . Only  other contender  was Ranjit Khanwalkar , a  brillant cricketer, but died  very early in an  accident .

6)Wicket  Keeper  and  # 7 Batsman : Who else  can it be  SMH Kirmani, Safest  keeper  India has produced ( sorry MSD)  and very  handy and  useful  lower  order  bat, both  for  state and country.

Contenders, well  two I would  say  , very  talented and Under  performer Sadanad Vishwanath and  Avinash  Vaidya ( who was  useful opener  too )

7)Pace  Bowler : I have  only  one  spot , and it has  to go  to Mysore  Experss, Javagal Srinath, for what ever  he has  done  for  his  state and  Country, he will be  my opening bowler partner with Binny.   The  Contenders , his  state  team mates, Venkatesh  Prasad , talented  but again under performed  at National level   and  the  work  Horse  Dodda  Ganesh .

8)Finally the  spinners, most  difficult  and  debatable  choices, I had  to choose  from so much of  choices which were  available . I had  to go for  Anil  Kumble  as  Leg Spinner , by his  sheer achievements  at  International  Level he  is  my pick to Captain the  team also,  EAS Prasana  as  Off spinner , the best  spinner  as per  many  of  worlds  best  batsmen of those  times ( even GRV ) and  finally  Raghuram  Bhat  as  Left arm spinner ( many say  best  Left armer  this country  has seen  after  Bhisen Bedi ) but played  few  tests only .  Obvious  question, why no place for  Chandra, sad  but  true, he  cannot  fit  in.

Other  contenders ( other  than Chandra)  were  B Vijay Krishna a  crafty  spinner and  of  course Sunil Joshi , the highest  Wicket taker  for Karnataka in Ranji.

To  Complete  the  team , other  than Playing Eleven , my 12  Man will be  Vijay Bhardwaj  and  my reserves  will be  Sunil Joshi ( he can fit as  all rounder ), Venkatesh Prasad  and  Sujit Somsundar ( he  can open also)   . Why No  Vinay Kumar, simple  he is  post 2000 year.

So  here  goes  my  Team :

Binny, J Arun Kumar , Rahul Dravid ( VC), GR Vishwanath, Brijesh Patel, Kartik Jeshwant, SMH Kirmani( WK), Anil Kumble ( C), Javagal Srinath, EAS Prasana, Raghuram Bhat 

12 Man : Vijay Bharadwaj.  

Please  feedback, and  you can also  tell  your  Dream  XI  for  Karnataka.