For the 44-year-old former Hyderabad first-class cricketer and present Andhra Ranji team head coach Ramakrishnan Sridhar, the call to marshal the battered Indian team as fielding coach in the upcoming One-Day Internationals (ODIs) against England was a pleasant surprise.
“I will give it my best shot,” was his crisp reply from Chennai, where his team — Andhra Cricket Association — is taking part in the Buchi Babu tournament.
The unexpected call from the BCCI also put him in a fix, for his passport is at home in Hyderabad. “Amidst attending a barrage of calls from media and friends, he is also making efforts to get it (the passport) as he would be taking a flight to London over the next two days,” said assistant coach J. Krishna Rao from Chennai.
Unflinching commitmentLeft-arm spinner Sridhar, known for his unflinching commitment, began his coaching stint in 2001 and his six years of association with the National Cricket Academy as head fielding coach enabled him hone his skills for bigger challenges.
His association as a fielding coach with the Indian under-19 teams and also with IPL franchise King’s XI Punjab helped him get an insight into the game at the international level.
Sridhar told The Hindu sometime back that recovery protocol and diet played a decisive role in modern cricket as these ingredients helped improve fitness levels. “Technique without fitness is not of any use in modern day cricket. Players should enjoy fielding.”
ACA director (cricketing operations) M.S.K. Prasad said Sridhar’s interactions with legends like South African Jonty Rhodes played a crucial role in helping him enhance his fielding standards.
“He is also known for fielding in any position during his playing days”.
