Having started watching cricket in the mid-1990s, we didn’t have much examples of Indian bowlers who could bowl fast. The only cricketer to do that from here at that time was Javagal Srinath. While other teams had the likes of Wasim Akram, Waqar Younis, Allan Donald, Courtney Walsh, Curtly Amrose, etc, we only had Srinath and he was always ready to serve India with full passion.

Triangular series were a regular feature in those days (something I terribly miss in today’s times). One of the most memorable series for me as a kid was the Titan Cup in 1996. In those days, South Africa was like the Australia of the post-2000s era. Hence, beating them in the final of the Titan Cup was an incredible achievement for Team India (see the scorecard HERE). It was the first major Indian victory I witnessed after I started watching cricket.

But as far as Srinath’s personal record in that series is concerned, it was highly unusual.

Srinath was a lower order batsman who could hit the ball hard and long at times. Because of this quality, he was tried as a pinch-hitter in some matches during his time.

For those who started watching the game after the 90s, when a bowler, who isn’t an all-rounder, is sent up to bat preferably at number 3 or 4 in order to lift the run-rate during the field restrictions, he is called a pinch-hitter. The concept died down after the 90s. In today’s T20 era, it doesn’t even make sense.

Srinath was tried as a pinch-hitter in a game against South Africa at Rajkot in the Titan Cup. This was because of his heroics in an earlier match in the series against Australia at his home ground in Bengaluru (then Bangalore). In that match, India needed a little over 50 runs and they were 8 wickets down. But Srinath, along with some fine support from his fellow Karnataka mate Anil Kumble, got his side home by scoring 30 not out of just 23 balls with 2 fours and one six (see the scorecard HERE).

In the Rajkot match against South Africa, Srinath was sent one down when India lost Navjot Singh Sidhu early. He went onto score 53 of 69 balls with 4 fours and one six. This is his only half century in ODIs. He had two decent partnerships with Sachin Tendulkar and Rahul Dravid. Unfortunately, India were bundled out for just 185 and South Africa chased down the target rather comfortably. Srinath, a bowler, was the top scorer for India in that match (see the scorecard HERE).

This brings an interesting trivia to light. It was a rare series where Srinath had equal number of 50s and wickets.

As surprising as it may sound, the frontline fast bowler could pick up only 1 wicket in the entire triangular series (that of Michael Slater in the do-or-die match against Australia in Mohali. See the scorecard HERE). He played as many as 6 matches in the series (one match against Australia was washed out) and bowled his full quota of 10 overs in almost all the matches. Yet, he had only 1 wicket to show to his name despite bowling well. It was a clear case of stats not giving you the entire picture.  

And if we take into account the aforementioned match-winning innings of 30 not out against Australia, we can say that Srinath the batter overshadowed Srinath the bowler in the Titan Cup, although unintentionally.

Also read: Forgotten spells: When Srinath singlehandedly rattled South Africa