As a 90’s kid, my childhood memories are adorned with midnight World Cup matches, the silent excitement of waking up to watch cricket and the iconic players who graced the field. In the transition phase of Indian cricket, one name stood out—Javagal Srinath, the new ball bowler who seamlessly filled the shoes of the great Kapil Dev.
Recently, I had the incredible opportunity to meet Mr. Javagal Srinath during his visit to Visakhapatnam as a match official for the India-Australia T20 cricket match. The anticipation was high, and my first concern was whether he would be approachable for a quick photo. Thankfully, the experience turned out to be far beyond my expectations.
Meeting Mr. Srinath revealed not just a cricketing legend but a humble personality with a contagious smile. We spent a delightful 45 minutes with him, during which he expressed his appreciation for the Vizag Runners Group’s initiative in promoting a healthy lifestyle through the Sandhya Marine Vizag Marathon. He graciously shared a few words on camera, encouraging the public to join the movement of embracing morning walks or runs.
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Mr. Srinath’s humility extended to his admiration for Visakhapatnam’s landscapes, a city he always enjoyed visiting during his cricketing career. This connection to the city added a personal touch to our conversation.
What struck me the most was Mr. Srinath’s approachability. As a national cricketer and the spearhead of India’s bowling attack for nearly a decade, I expected a reserved demeanor. Instead, I found him to be remarkably interactive, even expressing genuine interest in my profession as an Oncologist.
Beyond his cricketing prowess, Mr. Srinath’s compassionate side shone through when he discussed a friend’s daughter being treated in Delhi for cancer. This unexpected glimpse into his caring nature added another layer to my admiration for the man.
Reflecting on his cricketing days, one word comes to mind was consistency. Much like the great Glenn McGrath of Australia, Mr. Srinath’s unwavering line and length made him a formidable force. The lethal duo of Venkatesh Prasad and Srinath, with their swinging pace, often left opponents struggling.
While primarily a bowler, Mr. Srinath’s batting performances are noteworthy. The unforgettable partnership with Anil Kumble in the Titan Cup 1996 against Australia showcased their resilience and determination, turning a seemingly lost match into a nail-biting victory.
As Mr. Srinath embarks on his journey as an ICC official, I extend my best wishes for his future endeavors. My gratitude knows no bounds for the autograph he kindly signed on the T-shirt I wore, making this encounter a cherished memory.
In the world of cricket, Javagal Srinath is not just a legend but a down-to-earth personality who continues to inspire and connect with fans like me.https://indianexpress.com/article/trending/trending-in-india/former-cricketer-javagal-srinath-clicked-waiting-for-train-in-karnataka-8134272/
69 Comments
aazam
November 30, 2023Wow! He is also on off my favourite when I was kid I used to watch his bowling.
satyakanth
November 30, 2023You have a very good art of expressing in simple and lucid words..meeting a childhood hero is indeed a dream come true and the joy multiplies when things go in ur way beyond expectations ..
Dr Suman Das
November 30, 2023Thank you sir
Dr Suman Das
November 30, 2023Thank you buddy
Aditya Narayan
November 30, 2023Very nice Dr Suman!
Dr Suman Das
November 30, 2023Thank you sir for your persistent efforts to make me write
Sikha
November 30, 2023A fantastic story in the words of a fan meeting his favourite cricketer.Awesome Suman.I love the way you articulate incidents into a nice story line.
Padma
November 30, 2023Excellent sir
Nice story
Dr Suman Das
November 30, 2023Thank you madam
Dr Suman Das
November 30, 2023Thank you dear
Tusar Pandey
December 3, 2023Very nice. He is a humble person. I personally like him. Sir you are lucky to have a good interaction with him.
Bijay Kumar Agrawal
November 30, 2023What a luck to meet your childhood hero right here in Visakhapatnam. The narrative adds lot of spice to the chance meeting and also gives a glimpse of the nature of Mr. Srinath. Thanks a ton for sharing your experience and congratulations.
sailesh modi
November 30, 2023Nicely written ,, i wish i was there ,, every one remembers the pace duo javal srinath and venkatesh prasad .
Dr Suman Das
November 30, 2023True the duo were deadly. A great combination of pace attack.
Dr Suman Das
November 30, 2023Thank you sir
Madhuri
November 30, 2023Nice read
Dr Suman Das
November 30, 2023Thank you madam
Pradeep Koyyan
November 30, 2023❤️❤️❤️
Dr Suman Das
November 30, 2023Dr. Aziz Mehdi
November 30, 2023Yes. I remember him as fiery bowler without any excessive dramatics on the field, which is the characteristic of today’s bowlers.
His humility is what makes him a great personality.
I must mention here that Dr. Suman’s is equally humble which makes him a great doctor!
Dr Suman Das
November 30, 2023Thank you sir
Dr Ashu
November 30, 2023wow dr suman…great to see a sports enthusiast in a medico…happy to correlate…and so nice to see nine other than Srinath!! an icon in himself….kudos!!
Dr Suman Das
November 30, 2023Thank you Dr Ashu
Dr Nageswara Rao P.V
November 30, 2023Thanks Dr Suman ji for sharing your experience with our Beloved cricketer Mr Srinadh garu. We respect both of for your humbleness and high human spirit which ignite others to follow your inspiration for personal fitness care and Professional acumen.
Dr Suman Das
November 30, 2023Thank you sir. Hope you are joining for the Sandhya Marines Vizag marathon
P.k.mohanty
November 30, 2023Great union with eminent player of cricket of Dr.Suman is mind blowing.Wish Dr.Sumamn to rise to glory and honour in Social circle for his noble endeavor. God bless him.
Dr Suman Das
November 30, 2023Thank you sir. Your blessings have taken us all students through the journey called life to a next level.
J.Suresh
November 30, 2023Wow! Glad to see you beside the legend Dr.Sumandas ji
Dr Suman Das
November 30, 2023Thank you Suresh ji
A.Kamala
November 30, 2023Excellent Sir
Very nice story line
Dr Suman Das
November 30, 2023Thank you madam
Balakrishna Rai
November 30, 2023What u said is true Sumanji he is thorough gentleman mixed with all of as a close friend for a long time.
Next time we will spend long time with him whenever we will get the opportunity.
Dr Suman Das
November 30, 2023Thank you sir for the opportunity to meet him.
Rama Shankar Mantha
November 30, 2023Such a nice and well written experience of meeting the sensation in Javagal Srinath Sir. It made a very interesting read Sir. Thank you for sharing your experience Sir.
Dr Suman Das
November 30, 2023Thank you sir. He is indeed a person worth mentioning in the blog. I was really happy meeting him
Subramanya Sarma Challa
November 30, 2023Namaskaram Dr Suman das ji,
Wonderful to have Srikant ji at Visakhapatnam. Your sharing are super anna.
Dr Suman Das
December 1, 2023Thank you Anna.
Murali
November 30, 2023Hello Dr. Das
Loved every bit of what you said. Here is my take… just adding a little more.
Cricket, they say is a gentleman’s game. But I guess it’s the other way round. It’s these gentlemen who have made what cricket is today!
Javagal, Venkatesh and Kumble the trio, just didn’t hunt for wickets. They set a precedent to follow on being grounded, humble and affable. That’s what your experience with Javagal says.
Like the famous ichthyologist President of Stanford University, Mr. David Star Jordan once said “there is no real excellence in all this world which can be separated from right living”!
This is exactly what made you admire in Javagal’s demeanor. Here is a man who carved a niche for himself in the world of cricket. Very few can emulate the legacy that this gentleman cricketer has left behind. It’s not just him, I would also include the other two contemporaries of his, Venkatesh and Kumble in the same bracket. Just see what they have in common apart from their lethal deliveries… Education! All three are engineers. As coincidence would have it, all three are from the same state…
You opened the flood gates, I can go on and on…
It’s a nice feeling to know that you had the opportunity to meet Javagal. You’ll remember this for a long time to come.
Thank you for sharing your thoughts about this great human being! Good Night.
Murali
November 30, 2023Gosh, I went overboard. Didn’t realise it went this looong! Sorry
Dr Suman Das
December 1, 2023It’s long but lovely.
Brajendra Behera
November 30, 2023At the very outset Thank You so much Dr. Suman. Even in wildest dream of mine world have never expressed so delightfully those 45 minutes of your interaction with the Lengend . It is such a ..such a joy to go through your words bit by bit n feel the same excitement within.. Rightly said Suman..we 90s kids were so much taken away by his inswing bowling ..Your master piece took me too down the memory lane of my fast bowling during school days…and letting us know the compassionate side of Mysore Express makes this a worthy reading..
Keep up the good deeds Dr…U r no less than in ur profession.Not only n number patients u treated but also their family members looks up to you as a Legend…..
In all humility…thank you Suman for sharing happiness…
Dr Suman Das
December 1, 2023True. I was thinking what I was missing “Mysore express” Lovely narrative bhai
Dr P B Kameswara Rao
December 1, 2023Excellent narration of meeting a celebrity and at the same time taking forward Vizag Marathon into limelight
All the best Dr Suman Das ji
Sushil
December 1, 2023Wow Doctor Suman, indeed it’s a moment to remember when you get to meet such legends in person…. BTEW you also share a lot of the likeable traits of the legend like humility and approachability , having known you for such a long time I can definitely vouch for that..keep up the good work Doc
Dr Suman Das
December 1, 2023Thank you bhai
Chitti Babu
December 1, 2023The Vizag Marathon with great celebrities is a fantastic initiative, blending fitness and star power. It not only promotes a healthy lifestyle but also adds an exciting element to the event. Looking forward to the inspiring atmosphere and the positive impact it can create and thank you sir for your grest efforts and initiation.
Chitti Babu
December 1, 2023Good morbibg sir…the Vizag Marathon with great celebrities is a fantastic initiative, blending fitness and star power. It not only promotes a healthy lifestyle but also adds an exciting element to the event. Looking forward to the inspiring atmosphere and the positive impact it can create and thank you sir for your grest efforts and initiation.
Chitti Babu
December 1, 2023The Vizag Marathon with great celebrities is a fantastic initiative, blending fitness and star power. It not only promotes a healthy lifestyle but also adds an exciting element to the event. Looking forward to the inspiring atmosphere and the positive impact it can create and thank you you sir for your great efforts and initiation…
Dr Suman Das
December 1, 2023Thank you sir
Deepa Nihar Dash
December 1, 2023Absolutely love this new role of yours as a blogger. I love your writing voice… it’s engaging..it’s approachable..you have placed the story so well.. your writing is beautiful because you know the right word for the right moment. Happy writing.. waiting for more ..dear friend ❤️
Dr Suman Das
December 1, 2023Thanks Deepa, encouraging words…
CHANDRAKANTA SAHOO
December 1, 2023Just wow, Beautifully described about the meeting with the cricketing legend and every one’s favorite the thorough gentleman. Such a joy to go through your describing of the interaction. You have so much of similarity and commonness with Mr Srinath, the calmness, the humbleness and the sportsman.
For me it is about meeting of two legends. One from the cricketing fraternity and everyone’s favorite our beloved the fitness champ on and only Dr Suman. Keep Inspiring Bhai. Always love to read your blogs.
Dr Suman Das
December 1, 2023Big words for me bhai. Thank you
Dr suman bagathi
December 1, 2023Superb sir
Prem Patro
December 1, 2023You are blessed to meet a humble super sportsman of yeateryears .
The fact that you could speak and exchange so many words during your conversation is wonderdul.
I will never forget the ball he bowled occasionally which came into the right hand batsman.
Dr Das you are multi talented and a true sportsman with the spirit intact.
Dr Suman Das
December 1, 2023Thank you sir.
Srinivas Rao Karuturi
December 1, 2023Dear Dr Suman Das,
Very nice to see our favourite cricketer, one of the unsung heroes of the past!! Wonderful to see him as humble as always and spending time with his fans. Well done D. to reach out to Javagal Srinath..As you mentioned, i clearly remember listening to the numerous late night radio commentaries…fond memories indeed!! Thank you.
Dr Suman Das
December 1, 2023Thank you Srinivas garu. Those days were indelible memories.
J lakshmana Rao
December 1, 2023Dear Sir
Your heartfelt account of meeting cricket legend Javagal Srinath beautifully captures the essence of the encounter. Your vivid descriptions paint a picture of his approachable personality, exceeding your expectations. Srinath’s humility, contagious smile, and genuine interest in your life beyond cricket add depth to your admiration. His compassionate side, shown through concern for a friend’s daughter battling cancer, humanizes him beyond being a sports icon.
You reflect on Srinath’s cricketing career, emphasizing his consistency and comparing him to greats like Glenn McGrath. Specific match recounts enrich your narrative, providing a well-rounded view of his contributions to Indian cricket. Concluding with best wishes for Srinath’s future and gratitude for his autograph leaves a positive and respectful tone. It’s clear this encounter with a childhood hero is a cherished memory.
Dr Suman Das
December 1, 2023Thank you sir for your analysis and beautiful words to express your opinion. This is why you are a journalist par excellence.
Hrusikesh Bisoyi
December 1, 2023Javagal Srinath means always it comes to the partnership with Kumble at Bangalore in 1996. Great personality and you are so fortunate to spend few moments with him. Your experience with him and the words explained by you is beautiful… Thank you
Sutapa Chakrabarty
December 1, 2023Mr Srinath is no doubt a gentleman and has no air. Very rare to find such breed of cricketers now. Your article made me swing through the 90s era where watching these legends was as magnificent as they are. Beautifully written and keep writing.
CHITTURI VASU PRAKASH
December 2, 2023Dr.Suman Das garu,
Very nice to learn that you met your childhood favourite cricket luminary and had a great time with him.
We had him as our guest for our school’s Annual Day in 2005, he is so gentle and interactive person.
Nice article on your experience and
Well narrated story of meeting Mr.Javagal Srinadh.
Dharmendra Maharana
December 3, 2023This is really wonderful to know that you could able to spend quality time with a legend. Everything you mentioned above is so thoughtful and inspiring. Thank you for sharing
Dharmendra Maharana
December 3, 2023This is really wonderful to know that you could able to spend quality time with a legend. Everything you mentioned above is so thoughtful and inspiring. Thank you for sharing
Tusar Pandey
December 3, 2023Very nice. He is a humble person. I personally like him. Sir you are lucky to have a good interaction with him.
Rajasekhar Pagidipalli
December 7, 2023Wow … This is a great experience to meet such a legendary personality. It’s a remarkable moment that you got 45 mins to be together with him. You just reminded all those our childhood cricket heros. Congrats.
Chinmay
December 11, 2023Nicely written.
DR Bijay Kumar Sahu
February 4, 2024Truly inspiring Dr Suman. Let me congratulate you to brining such effort and innovative ecosystem in your noble profession. You are the second GOD in mitigating health challenges of humanity in distress. Such effort in connecting the dots and reaching out to personality whom you had a inspiration is nothing but a great inspiration learning from u. keep it up.
With much appreciation, Dr B K Sahu, NRDC, Govt of India