ODI starts at R Premadasa stadium ! ~ only instance when Vengsarkar & Malhothra bowled ??

ODI between India and Sri Lanka dodged by Covid has started at last !  - do you the only instance when Dilip Vengsarkar ever bowled in International Cricket ? – incidentally Ashok Malhothra too bowled a solitary over and bettered him ??

ODI no. 4307 - 1st ODI (D/N), between India and Sri Lanka got off to a start a few minutes ago (@ 3 pm IST) today [Jul 18 2021].  Srilanka’s new captain -  Madagamagamage Dasun Shanaka won the toss and decided to bat.  The match is played at Premadasa stadium previously known as   Khettarama Stadium.

The naming of the stadium after the past President was a natural choice.  In May 1993, another  chapter was added to the blood-spattered political history of the subcontinent as a human bomb ripped through the May Day procession at Colombo's picturesque Galle Face seafront last fortnight tearing to shreds Ranasinghe Premadasa, perhaps the most powerful president in Sri Lanka's history. Sri Lankabhimanya Ranasinghe Premadasa  (23.6.1924 – 1.5.1993)   was the third (Second Executive) President of Sri Lanka from 1989 till his assassination. He was awarded Sri Lanka's highest award to a civilian Sri Lankabhimanya in 1986 by President Junius Richard Jayewardene, the first to receive in Sri Lankan history.

India too has a fresh team – with a big squad away in England, this is a young rejuvenated squad with some experienced members as well.  The man at the helm has played in 142 ODIs has scored 17 centuries with aggregate of 5977 runs – just 3 short of 6000 but is leading for the first time, perhaps the oldest to make ODI captaincy debut at 35 years 225 days !!   Some may be surprised to know that the previous elder was Mohinder Amarnath at 34 yr 37 days – yes – his only match as Captain, when he did nothing perhaps.  It was ODI 273 at Sialkot played on 31.10.1984, India was coasting along at 210/3 in 40 overs with Vengsarkar within a stroke to century .. .. the sad news of Indira Gandhi’s assassination reached Pak – the match and subsequently the tour too was abandoned. 

Today Indian squad reads :  1 Shikhar Dhawan (capt), 2 Prithvi Shaw, 3 Suryakumar Yadav, 4 Manish Pandey, 5 Ishan Kishan (wk), 6 Hardik Pandya, 7 Krunal Pandya, 8 Bhuvneshwar Kumar, 9 Deepak Chahar, 10 Kuldeep Yadav, 11 Yuzvendra Chahal

Sanju Samson is not playing due to an injury – Ishan Kishan and Suryakumar Yadav are making their debuts !  

The first ever ODI between Lanka and India took place at Manchester – in fact it was not a One dayer.  The match began on June 16, Sri Lanka put into bat, made runs and beat India by 47 runs, making it the first win by an associate member of ICC.   A second wicket stand of 96 by Wettimuny and Dias off 25 overs gave them the platform.   Pasqual, a confident left-handed schoolboy and the youngest player in the 1979 World Cup, joined Duleep  Mendis adding 52 runs.  Owing to a late start on Saturday, India had to wait until Monday before starting their task of 239 to win. Gavaskar and Gaekwad began with a stand of 60 and at lunch India were 117 for two, wanting 122 from the remaining 25 overs. Then the guily Somachandra de Silva varied his leg-breaks dismissing  Vengsarkar, Brijesh Patel and  Mohinder Amarnath.

Years later, India played Sri Lanka on Sept 12, 1982 at Amritsar  and  India won by 78 runs.  The match perhaps was decided in the opening hours with Krishnamachari Srikkanth set the pace with a sparkling knock of 57 off 43 balls that included one sixer and 10 boundaries.  

Kapil Dev and Madanlal opened the bowling and bowled 8 overs each; there was Roger Binny (6) &Mohinder Amarnath (9).  Dilip Doshi with 10-0-44-4 was the man of the match.  Sandeep Patil bowled 3 overs.  Interestingly Dilip Vengsarkar bowled one over giving away 4 runs and Ashok Malhothra too bowled a solitary over, that was a maiden ! – this was the only occasion whence Vengsarkar and Malhothra ever bowled in International Cricket. 

With regards – S. Sampathkumar
18^th July 2021.