BS Chandrasekhar – What exactly defines the bowling excellence of a bowler? The records of a bowler in his career or the impact of a bowler due to his exceptional abilities. If we consider the records of a bowler there have been exhibitions of many bowlers for this national side to talk about. But if we consider the impact of a bowler which is still in the talk about in the modern-day era of cricket. The name of BS Chandrasekhar is still one of the most admired cricketers who has ever grace this game of cricket while playing for India in 60s to 70s (when team India was completely underdogs except few great cricketers like BS Chandrasekhar and Erapalli Prasanna).
When there is debate over the best spinner the Indian Cricket has ever produced the name of “Anil Kumble” comes first but way before Anil Kumble if there was the bowler who had started the trend of winning games at overseas conditions it was none other than “BS Chandrasekhar”. He was one of two bowlers among Bishan Singh Bedi took 200 wickets for team India in test cricket.
Tests | Innings | Wickets | Average | Economy |
58 | 97 | 242 | 29.75 | 2.82 |
Born in Mysore, Karnataka. Chandra's interest in cricket had developed after watching his Richie Benaud (former Australian leg-spinner) from an early age. Chandra had played 246 first-class cricket games and took 1063 wickets at an average of 24.03 which featured 75 five-wickets haul and 19 ten-wickets haul. He made his debut against England in 1964 where he took four wickets and was honoured with Indian Cricketer of the year in the same year.
The first-ever team India victory against England in oval 1971 where Chandra got 6 for 38 was the reason behind the victory and Wisden in 2002 rated this bowling performance of Chandra “Indian Bowling performance of the century". While Chandra was honoured with Wisden Cricketer of the year, the Padma Shri and Arjuna Award in the year 1972. Chandrasekhar alongside Erapalli Prasanna were the most complete spinners the world cricket has ever witnessed. The other spinner of team India Bishan Singh Bedi has once said, about BS Chandrasekhar bowling abilities, “He was a gift from god. A chap, who could not throw with his right hand, bowled India to so many victories -- abroad and home -- with the same hand. You can only marvel at the man, who had an outstanding determination to excel. You cannot define him in normal cricketing terms. He was simply extraordinary. Not just one, I have many wonderful memories with him right throughout my career,” Bedi told this newspaper about Chandrasekhar.
“I can only think of terrific camaraderie that we (four) had and the kind of trust we had in one another and that helped us on the field. It was remarkable. I cannot think of a more congenial kind of group, which complemented one another throughout,” said Bedi. “I tell you, he is such a pleasant person. I never heard him indulge in any kind of self pity. He is a lovely human being and a humble person too. He was my hero.”
Not just his own teammates but even the greats of the game like Viv Richards was his fan who has once tell his experience of facing BS Chandrasekhar,
“It took me a long, long time to come to terms with Chandra. He was the most teasing bowler I ever had to face, and I never quite knew whether I was in charge or not. That was his greatness. His ability to lure opponents into a false sense of security was deadly. How is a batsman supposed to dominate such a man? How can he build his own confidence when he does not know whether the bowler is faking or not? ... To this day he probably remains the one bowler for whom I have most respect. He could do things with the ball that seemed supernatural,” Sir Viv said about Chandra.
Here are some of the other great things said about Chandra by many great players
