Javagal Srinath

Career summary

Although Srinath was a batsman as a youth, it was in a club match that he caught the eye of former Indian Test batsman Gundappa Viswanath, then a selector for the state team. In 1989/90, Srinath made his first-class debut for Karnataka against Hyderabad, taking a hat trick in the first innings. He followed this with wickets off successive balls in the second innings. Srinath finished the season with 25 wickets from six matches, and took another 20 the following season. The second season involved a display of reverse swing against Maharashtra at the Nehru Stadium in Pune, taking 7/93 to dismiss the home team for 311 in response to a Karnataka total of 638 on a good batting track.

Srinath made his One Day International debut in the Wills Trophy at Sharjah in 1991. He is also Indias most prolific wicket-taker at World Cups with 44 wickets from 34 matches. He remains Indias highest wicket taker in ODI matches as a fast bowler and only Indian pacer to surprass 300 wicket tally in ODI matches. Only other Indian bowler to achieve this feat is Anil Kumble who is a spinner.

Srinath then was selected to the Indian cricket team for the 1991/92 tour of Australia. Making his Test debut against Australia at Brisbane, he took 3/59 while playing as the third pace bowler. He finished the tour with ten wickets at 55.30. He was given an opportunity to take the new ball against South Africa in Cape Town, where he took an economical 4/33 in 27 overs. Srinath ended the tour with 12 wickets at 26.08. However, due to wickets in India being conducive to spin, he subsequently spent seven consecutive home Tests watching from the sidelines as India only fielded two pacemen. It was not until three years after his international debut, in late 1994 and with the retirement of Kapil Dev that Srinath played his first home Test, against the West Indies. He took five wickets and scored 60 in the second innings to be named Man of the Match as India won by 96 runs. His increased opportunities also coincided with an improvement in his batting, scoring two half-centuries in the series. Srinath took over 500 first class wickets, playing for Karnataka he took 96 at 24.06. In 1995, he joined Gloucestershire, and took 87 wickets in his one and only season with them including taking 9–76 against Glamorgan. He has also played English county cricket with Leicestershire and Durham.

In the 1997/98 series vs Australia, Srinaths with one particular delivery measured at 149.6 km/h. The then Zimbabwe captain Alistair Campbell revealed that Srinath was recorded at 157 km/hr on 27 January 1997 in the game at Paarl between India and Zimbabwe.

Cricket World Cup

Javagal Srinath is the only Indian fast bowler to appear in 4 World Cups. Srinath retired from international cricket after the 2003 World Cup in South Africa in which he performed strongly until the final against Australia, when he conceded 87 off his 10 overs in the 2003 World Cup final against Australia . But he had a good spell in the previous two matches where he conceded just 20 runs in 8 overs with an economy of 2.50 against New Zealand and just 11 runs in 7 overs with an economy of 1.57 against Kenya in 2003 World Cup semi final. When he retired from international cricket he was at the 8th place in ICC Player Rankings bowlers with rating 701 points.

Career against South Africa

Srinath had a more successful career against South Africa than any other Indian player, he took more than 60 test wickets with an average of 24.48 against South Africa, during the South Africa tour of India he had taken 17 wickets in 3 test matches and during India tour of South Africa he had taken 18 wickets in 3 test matches. Only during the tour of November 1996 – January 1997 he had taken 35 wicket in 6 test matches with an average of 24.94.

Career against New Zealand

Javagal Srinath had successful Test match career against New Zealand both as batsmen and bowler, he has a batting average of 34.00 and scored 76 at Hamilton. He has taken 33 test wickets in 9 test matches with an average of 27.69 and in ODI he had taken 51 wickets in 30 matches with an average of 20.41.