He could also be higher generally known as an umpire now, however Okay.N. Anathapadmanabhan was probably the greatest spinners in India’s home cricket for years, with 344 First Class wickets. He was additionally the captain when Kerala certified for the Ranji Trophy knock-out stage for the primary time in 1994-95. Twenty years later, Kerala is within the final of India’s premier home event.
And Ananthapadmanabhan is delighted.
“This is Kerala’s 1983 moment,” he tells The Hindu. “It is a great achievement and this place in the final is earned by Kerala.”
In the final beginning at Nagpur on Wednesday, Kerala will take on Vidarbha. Ananthapadmanabhan, who was the TV umpire of the semifinal by which Vidarbha beat Mumbai, believes it must be an thrilling contest.
“Vidarbha is perhaps the most balanced side in the Ranji Trophy,” he says. “They have a strong batting line-up and an excellent bowling attack. I am particularly impressed by their left-arm spinner Harsh Dubey, who needs just three more wickets to be a Ranji season’s most successful bowler. Seamer Yash Thakur is also quite good.”
Ananthapadmanabhan feels Kerala has the workforce to cease the host. “The way Kerala has fought back from tough situations on several occasions has been remarkable,” he says.
Kerala’s Mohammed Azharuddin and Salman Nizar have a good time after the Ranji Trophy quarterfinal towards Kerala at Maharashtra Cricket Association Stadium in Pune on Wednesday, 12/02/2025.
| Photo Credit:
EMMANUAL YOGINI
“Salman Nizar and Mohammed Azharuddeen were brilliant with the bat, and it was great to see the tail-enders putting up a brave display time after time.”
He is all reward for Jalaj Saxena. “He has been a magnificent servant for Kerala cricket ever since he joined the team as a professional,” he says. “It is good that Kerala added Aditya Sarwate to the squad this year; they now form a superb spin attack.”
Kerala bowler Jalaj Saxena who took 4 wickets on the fourth day of the Ranji Trophy semifinal towards Gujarat in Ahmedabad on February 20, 2025.
| Photo Credit:
R.V. MOORTHY
Looking again to his enjoying days, Ananthapadmanabhan says Kerala had shocked everybody in 1994-95. “The Ranji Trophy those days was, of course, played on a zonal-basis and Kerala was regarded as one of the weaker sides,” he remembers.
“Tamil Nadu, Karnataka and Hyderabd were the big teams. And it was never easy to beat or even take the first innings lead against those teams, but at Palakkad, we beat Tamil Nadu, who had players like W.V. Raman, S. Ramesh, V.B. Chandrasekhar, Robin Singh and S. Sharath.”
Ananthapadmanabhan says Kerala shouldn’t get complacent. “The Kerala Cricket Association is doing a fine job, but we need to think of the future,” he says. “Remember, Jalaj is 38. We need to get young spinners and technically correct batters.”
Published – February 23, 2025 08:32 pm IST
