TEN CRICKETERS WHO NEVER CAPTAINED INDIA IN TEST CRICKET,UNFORTUNATLEY

                 Top  10  Indian Test Cricketers , Who should  have  Captained India , but never  did   

There have been  many  cricketers who  played  Test Cricketers who played  for  India, were considered as  "thinking Cricketers"  with   good  cricketing  brain, were  succesful captains  at  the state levels, had all  capabilities  of  Leading  the INDIA  team, but never  actually  did. Let us  Look at  Ten such  cricketers, and their  background  and achievements  and  in some  cases, some  reasons why  they could never  lead  Indian test Team. Time period for  ease  I have choosen is  those  cricketers who played  or  made  their  debuts  in 1970s and  1980s ONLY.

1)ML JAISIMHA : One of  Stylish cricketers of  his  times, played  for  Hyderabad state  team , played  some  crucial  knocks  for  India in his  35 odd  tests, but  could never  come close  to leading  Inda, may be  due  to fact  that  there were  two other  brainy players , Patuadi and Wadekar  who  were his  contemporaries. He was  favorite  and  one of  the idols  for  Sunny Gavaskar, and post retirement was  a  Commentator, Manager  and  a  Selector  too. Funny trivia, MAK Pataudi when he  played  for HYD  in Ranji matches  used  to play under  Jaisimha's captaincy.

2)EAS PRASANNA : One of  best  Off Spinners  India  has  produced ,( few  consider  him the  THE BEST, due Regards  to Bhajji and  Ashwin ) , led  his state  team Karnataka to 2  Ranji  Trophy Championship wins. Was  one  of  one  famous  Spin Quartlet of  those days, mainly promoted  by Wadekar and Pataudi , he  was  both the  captain's  GO TO MAN when  they needed  a  break through or  a  crucial  wicket. Considered  as  a very intelligent  cricketer, never  captained  India, but lot of  writers  felt, he  would  have  been a  great one. Reasons, may be  crowded place for captaincy , with too many contenders and Prasanaa  lost the race in that  rush, and  he  was a very straight forward man.

3)Ashok Mankad  : Very  interesting story as  a  cricketer, played for  22 Tests  for  India, always  used to be prolific,at  State level, but  never  utilised  various  chances  he  got to excel at  International Level, . Led  his State  side, Bombay  to many famous Ranji trophy victories and many Indian Greats  including  Sunny Gavaskar, regarded  his  leadership  qualities  at very high esteem.Until he  retired he  had  scored  6000 + runs  in Ranji with 22  Hundreds  and  led  Mumbai to  tittle  triumphs on two  occasions. Who  knows if he was  little  more  successful  for  India when he got the  chances, we  would  have  seen one of  best  man to captain  India  also.

4)Brijesh Patel  : Almsot identical  case  like  Ashok Mankad, a  brilliant  player  at local levels, excellent fielder, dashing  batsman , played  21  tests, record  just better  than Ashok. At  State level, captained  Karnataka  team  with excellent  results, lauded  by all  as  a  thinking captain. His  intelligence and  skills, did come  to use  as  a  Cricket  administrator , at  NCA, KSCA,  As  a  cricket selector  , as  IPL Chairman etc. When he retired  he  was holding  both Highest  runs  and  centuries record in Ranji Matches, which was  of  course  bettered  by few  later. Very  sad  be could not  repeat his  batting and  leader ship  skills  at International  levels.

5)Mohinder  Amarnath : If i have to pick , ONE Most unluckiest  among the  ten, who  should  have lead  India, but never  did  will be  Jimmy ( as he was fondly called),. Known as  " COME BACK MAN" , he  debuted  in 1969  for  India  and  played  last test  in 1988, 20 years  and  how many tests  be  played  , only 69, so you  can imagine how  many  times  he  was IN and  OUT of India  team. He was  also  a very out spoken guy, famous  for calling the  Team Selectors a " bunch of  jokers". Only time he  came  to near captaincy  was being Vice Captain to Kapil Dev in ODIs  including the  1983 world cup Winning   team. For  sure  deserved  to be  captain, when we  was in his  peak  in early 1980s  when he  was  batting mainstay  , that  too against  fearsome  WI pacers , but  that  was  also time both Kapil and  Sunny were front  runners  to  take  the mantle of  Indian captaincy.

6)Syed  Kirmani : Probably best  TEST wicket  keeper  India  has  seen ( with due  regards to MSD) , very  smart behind the  wickets  and  a  very  intelligent  cricketer  too. A live wire  on field, both Sunny and  Kapil  enjoyed  his  support  and  inputs  , but  never  got an chance  to  lead  India  in 90 tests  he played , again the closest  he  came  was  being  VC  on few  outstation tours. The  irony is he  hardly lead Karnataka also in Ranji due  to  presence of  Great GRV and  Brijesh Patel. He did  serve  as  administrator  including being the  Chairman of  Senior  Selection committee

7)Anshuman Gaikwad :  The  Silent cricketer, ever reliable  opener, the  under rated  partner  to Sunny , and was  always  called  for  duty  on away  tours  to face  the  fearsome  fast bowlers . Played  for  40 tests  for  India, again  was  known to have  a  Great  cricketing brain, played  and  lead  Baroda  at state  levels, but was  never  considered  to be a  candidate  for leading India, due to  choices  available  and may be also for  reason, no god  fathers ? He  played  a  post retired  role as  administrator, Coach/ manager  and  Part of Selection committee.

8)Sandeep Patil  : When he  played, he  was  known  for his "lazy  elegenace" , a  very gifted  player who could  have played  much  more  for  India than he  actually did ( 29  tests) , known for  few  of his  explosive  test  Innings,  he  was  some  what labelled as a  laid  back cricketer which used to  show  in his  fielding and  throwing also, but when he was in full flow, perhaps  the  most elegant batsman to see. Until  he played  for  India, probably no body considered  him  to be a  leader ship candidate, but post retirement the way he  lead  Mumbai and Madhya Pradesh teams , many repented what a  captain  India  missed to have . Excelled  at NCA,  and as  Chief of  Selection committee , later , post  his  retirement  from  First class  cricket.

9)Arun  Lal : Played  for  India  in only 16  Tests, mainly  as  a Test opening partner  to Sunny, was very moderately successfull. But  at  Local  level, he started  with Delhi team and  moved over  to Bengal and  transformed  that team  to a  champion side  and  was  always a  prolific  scorer. When he was leading Bengal  team, people  realised  his  leader ship abilities , one more  case of  what would have happened if he  got longer run in tests ,or  he  had  performed  well  with Chances  he got .

10)Kiran  More : Last  in list, another  smart, intelligent  and  Busy Wicket keeper, more  remembered  for his   comic duel   with great Javed  Miandad  in 1992 WC. Kiran, took over  WK duties  from Kirmani and became an integral  part  of  team  for  next seven years , and  played in 49 tests. Known  for  his  sharp cricketing  knowledge , closest he came was being VC on a couple of occasions when touring abroad  as  deputy  to  Mohd Azaruddin. He  lead  his  State  team  Baroda for  many years  and  was  part of  NCA  post  retirement  and  Chairman of  Selection committee.

Hope  you liked  this  unique  analysis, two  more  cricketers of that  time, who did  lead  India, but only in 2  Tests and for  sure  deserved to leading more in tests  were  GR Vishwanath and Ravi Shastri.Please  leave  your  comments  and  feedback, and  do  write  your name when you  comment.In next  blog, will touch on other  side  of  this  coin, Few  Cricketers who Should NOT have captained India, but did.