Sivaramakrishnan laments for not getting coaching offers
L. Sivaramakrishnan may have donned India shirts in only nine Tests and 16 ODIs but the former right-arm leg-spinner was able to make an enduring impression on those who watched him. The 57-year-old leg-spinner had outfoxed several top batsmen with his craft and variation. Siva will always be remembered for his dazzling show in the World Championship of Cricket held in Australia in 1985 where he became the leading wicket-taker with 10 wickets in five matches.
Sivaramakrishnan was in Kolkata on 16th February, on the opening day of the Ranji Trophy final at the Eden Gardens. Delighted to watch Bengal's left-arm spinner Shahbaz Ahmed's brilliant batting Sivaramakrishnan said, "Shahbaz has been a fighter. He can be useful as an all-rounder in any team."
But when asked whether Shahbaz's potential as a spinner, Sivaramakrishnan explained, "I have seen him in the T-20 cricket, precisely the scheduled four overs he bowled. So, having watched a bowler's four overs only you cannot judge his potential. Still, my experience says, on the bouncy track at Eden Gardens, Shahbaz will not gain any support. So he has to bring more flight in the air in his deliveries. His tendency is what I have observed to deliver flippers. His deliveries have got a certain speed and he tries to deceive the batsmen by adjusting length through the speed. But I feel on a bouncy track he has to learn to bring more flight. He has to keep the ball in the air more. He will be more mature if he can master keeping the ball in the air."
Incidentally, Shahbaz Ahmed became wicket-less on Friday in Saurashtra's first innings as he gave 27 runs off seven overs.Shiva regretted that even though he has been doing commentary for more than the last two decades he has not yet received any coaching offers, especially to produce spinners. He added, "I have been doing commentary for more than the last two decades. I feel I can detect the spinners' faults. But I know as I have not earned any coaching degree so far, I have not received any offer."
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