The legendary cricketer DilipVengsarkar granted RevSportz the opportunity to have a conversation with him in which he discussed his remarkable career, the development of his cricket academy, and his outlook for Indian cricket going forward.
Vengsarkar’s cricket career started modestly but developed into an incredible story of excellence and tenacity. His commitment to the game and his enthusiasm for it have never wavered, from his early years playing cricket in Mumbai’s maidans to the top of the international rankings. He reflected on the difficulties he encountered, the successes he enjoyed, and the priceless lessons he picked up along the route.
In his post-playing reflections, Vengsarkaremphasisedon the establishment and expansion of his cricket academy. The academy has emerged as a shining example due to its dedication to developing young talent.
RevSportz: How did the cricketing journey start for you?
Vengsarkar: My school has produced almost 10 to 15 Test cricketers and a lot of first-class cricketers. As my school had such a rich history with the game, it was natural for me to get inclined towards playing the sport. After playing for my school, I then joined PodarCollege and I was the captain of Bombay University. I happened to score a lot of runs in the inter-college matches and then I was picked into the Bombay team. Those days, the team was a star-studded team with the likes of Gavaskar. I did not get an opportunity to play in the playing eleven to begin with and I was very upset about it as I was confident I would do well. However, the next day, Eknath Solkar happened to get injured and I got an opportunity to play in the playing eleven which resulted in me scoring a hundred. Eventually, I got selected to play for India after some consistent performances like the 125 against Baroda and also a 100 against a Sri Lankan team. My journey started post this.
RevSportz: What has been your favorite knock of all time?
Vengsarkar: It is quite difficult to say if I am being honest, but I felt my hundred at Lords when India won their first Test match at the Lord’s cricket ground (1986).
RevSportz: Who were some of the bowlers from your time you loved and hated facing?
Vengsarkar: In ’76 on my first tour, Michael Holding was very quick, and even in Australia, Jeff Thomson was very good as the wickets in those days were very fast and bouncy. Imran Khan was really good too and so were Bob Willis and Ian Botham in England. Malcolm Marshall was also outstanding as well. There were some great bowlers I hfaced over the years and there are also some spells I remember that were quite quick. Some of the deliveries that were bowled were around 100 miles. There was no speed gun in those days, but they were extremely fast.
RevSportz: Do you believe the fast bowlers from that time were better than the ones we see today?
Vengsarkar: I would not like to compare as there are two different eras. However, I would like to mention that the wickets back then were quicker and generated more bounce.
RevSportz: What was the experience of winning the World Cup like?
Vengsarkar: It was just an amazing feeling. West Indies dominated world cricket at that time for almost 15 years. We had gone to the West Indies before the World Cup and, in one of the one-day games, we had beaten them. The thought process was to bat first, put up a good score, and apply pressure on the West Indies, as under pressure, they tended to crumble. This is exactly what happened at Old Trafford where we beat them and later on at Lord’s in the final as well. But yes, the final was just spectacular.
EXCLUSIVE: Dilip Vengsarkar opens up on his journey with cricket and his aspirations for his academy.
Cricketing legend Dilip Vengsarkar is an inspiration to many. In this discussion Vengsarkar speaks on his journey with the game, experiences of his time, the growth of his… pic.twitter.com/Q2i4MnsYuv
— RevSportz (@RevSportz) February 7, 2024
RevSportz: Did you expect the face of Indian cricket to change so drastically after the win?
Vengsarkar: After winning the World Cup, yes, a lot of people got excited about the game and due to this, a lot of children started playing cricket as well. The BCCI did very well as an administrative body and then post that, we had a World Cup in India as well in ’87 where the game completely took off. We were in Australia as well in 1985 and that was a huge victory for us, when we beat Pakistan twice. After all these events, the game just took off and evolved.
RevSportz: How did the transition to becoming a selector take place and did you enjoy the role?
Vengsarkar: Well, in those days, it was an honorary job. After I retired from international cricket, I was asked by the president of the board at the time to become a selector.Initially, I was not very keen. Every selector tends to represent their zone and I was not comfortable with that, as every selector would talk about players from their respective zones only. When you are an Indian selector, the only focus should be India and not the zones. He asked me again and I refused twice. The third time, MrPowar spoke to me, and I agreed to become a selector finally. It was an excellent experience, I would say, as before that, I was also the chairman of Talent Spotters, where we spotted a lot of cricketers and groomed them at the NCA in Bangalore. A lot of these cricketers went on to play for India and it was easier for me to pick those players as I had seen them from U-14 and U-16. Eventually, when I became selector, India were fifth in the ICC rankings and in two years, we were number one.
RevSportz: What is the importance of making those tough calls as a selector?
Vengsarkar: Yes, I think it requires the courage of conviction which is extremely important. If you believe a particular player is good, then you can give them a long rope. I was already aware of all the players who were playing, as I had seen them a lot in the U-19 circuit and the overall growth that was established practicing at the NCA. It became a much easier task for me through this.
RevSportz: What made you want to start your academy and how happy are you with it?
Vengsarkar: When I retired from playing cricket, I decided I wanted to give something back to the game. Giving back to the game is something everyone might mention, but I am extremely proud of myself that I stuck to it. I started my cricket academy at Oval Maidan in 1995, Chembur in 2004, and then Chinchwad in 2008, and now I will set up my fourth academy in Panvel. Over the years, thousands of cricketers have gotten free coaching, free tournaments, exposure, and experience. I have taken my team to England every year as well, to Manchester for the last 12 years. A lot of the players who are playing for the country now or even the IPL, have been part of my tours to England and have been part of my academy. So yes, a lot of the Mumbai players from grade cricket, IPL, and the Indian team have been part of this system. Those who did not get picked, managed to get jobs as a lot of corporate individuals would come to the academy and look to scout talent that would benefit their corporate team.
RevSportz: Your thoughts on Jaiswal?
Vengsarkar: I had taken him to England when he was 14 or 15 years of age, and as we all know, he comes from a very humble background. In England, he scored in every match and we could see the hunger in him. I knew this kid would go places with the talent he possessed. He then went on to play for India U-19 and scored plenty of runs in the World Cup, which supported his cause by getting picked by the IPL franchise, Rajasthan Royals. I am extremely happy about him and now he is the captain of Dadar Union as well, where I played for 25 years.
RevSportz: Do you believe taking youngsters abroad for exposure gives them an edge when they are playing international cricket?
Vengsarkar: Yes, especially in England. To play in English conditions is very testing.For example, even for a bowler, on the correct line and lengths that should be bowled. These are a few aspects, which you experience in England yourself. Unless you experience the factors yourself, a particular cricketer would not be able to understand. We played some excellent oppositions such as Lancashire U-19, Yorkshire U-19, which helps in providing the players with some great exposure, which supports their game when they come back to India.
RevSportz: Any youngsters who have caught your eye?
Vengsarkar: There are a lot of good players all around. I think [Rajat] Patidar is good and I watched him play around four years ago.However, he did not get an opportunity back then. Sarfaraz [Khan] is good as well, but he also has not gotten the opportunity at the right time. I think the timing has to be precise in these situations – provide opportunity to these youngsters when they are in great form. If you lose that time, then the player might lose his form, interest, or fitness.
RevSportz: One piece of advice you would like to pass on to a young batter?
Vengsarkar: There is no substitute for hard work. Without working hard, nothing will be possible. Nowadays the kids who are playing cricket, just want to play in the IPL as there is a bigger sum of money over there. However, it is more important to play Test cricket because they will only be known for their Test records, and it is also a place where their skills and mental strength will be brought out. If you are a good Test player, you can play in any format.However, if you are a good T20 player, that does not mean you will do well in Test cricket. The goal should be playing for India first, always.
RevSportz: A lesson you would like to pass on to the younger generation?
Vengsarkar: Taking pride in your performances is something I always tell youngsters and I will stick to this. Besides this, it is important to make sure the passion and enjoyment of the game are always present.