For a chance to fail

R

ahul Dravid left Test cricket saying there’s abundance of talent to take his place in the team. The selectors scratched their head, the fans laughed — “How does Rahul manage to maintain a straight-face while spilling out such humour?”

ESPNcricinfo did an article out of the whole thing. It was more of a survey within the cricket fraternity; few names were thrown in the air like confetti. They discussed Kohli — ‘No, not Kohli. He should replace Sachin.’ Then who, Pujara? ‘He has just recovered. Domestic record, post-recovery hasn’t been great.’ Rohit Sharma? Manoj Tiwari? Mandeep Singh, who? ‘Laxman should continue.’ Someone muttered Badrinath, there was horror in someone else’s voice. “Not only is he 30-plus, but he has been tested already. He is a good player at domestic level but unfortunately does not seem to fit at the highest level,” said an anonymous selector, almost on the brink of a heart attack.

Badrinath is a domestic workhorse — a grafter rather than a natural stroke player. His studious look is a push back to the retro: we see, we cherish but admire them only in sepia tones. Youth is colourful. Badrinath, even with a hundred new hairdos, will fail to interest any fairness cream brand to invest in him. Probably, that’s where he draws the line.

Not that the selectors haven’t allowed him entry. After all, he has played seven one day matches, intermittently, over a period of four years.

Since its inception IPL has been able to act as elevator for many fringe players who would have otherwise been lost in anonymity. Yusuf Pathan’s rise from a humble childhood, shattering neighbourhood glasses has a cinematic charisma; so does Kamran Khan’s (if you remember) discovery by then Rajasthan Royal’s coach Darren Barry. But, while Yusuf is still finding it difficult to translate his IPL heroics into reality, Kamran Khan is now hardly recognisable in the midst of so many new faces the tournament has accumulated over the years.

After facing a glitzy of international stars and sharing dressing rooms with those hardened in the big league, life should have gone the other way round for these players. Then why isn’t it the case? One seeks answer in the age-old cricket proverb, ‘Domestic cricket holds the key.’

Badrinath has excelled in both these forms. He collected 396 runs, from his six matches in the IPL last season. He managed them at an average of 56.57, with five 50s. You look at his domestic average of over 60 after playing 104 matches and marvel at the enigma.

Not that the selectors haven’t allowed him entry. After all, he has played seven one day matches, intermittently, over a period of four years. If he hasn’t made a mark shouldn’t he be blamed? And yes, they also gave him a Test run, albeit two test matches. He struggled terribly against a certain Dale Steyn, so what if he also scored 56 runs — second highest in a pathetic display of batting by the Indians.

Veteran Ranji player Amol Muzumdar is known to have told journalist Mikhail Vaswani, “The selectors never gave me a chance to even fail.” Badrinath’s was a similar cry. After being ignored for a tour of Sri Lanka in 2008, he burst out saying, “For God’s sake, allow me to fail.” His ire is justified. “I’ve worked hard to get my place in the side,” Badri says, “It’s not like I’ve been plucked out of nowhere at a young age.”

So many younger players — sometimes much less talented — have gone past him and gotten the selectors’ nod, but the Tamil Nadu and CSK batsman satisfies himself in the fact that he has at least played some international cricket. He still sees a slim chance. If his teammate Mike Hussey could so can he.

The IPL season has started and Badrinath has been dismissed cheaply in his only match so far. It was a collective batting failure. Yet for others there’s less to worry, for Badrinath his time is running out.

Debojit Dutta can be found doodling waywardly and pening absurdly on his blog Musings and Lyrics

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