Former India Batsman VB Chandrasekhar Dies Aged 57

In an unfortunate news, former India and Tamil Nadu cricketer VB Chandrasekhar passed away aged 57 in Chennai on Thursday (August 15). Fondly called VB in the cricketing circle, Chandrasekhar represented India in seven ODIs between 1988 and 1990. His career with Tamil Nadu was more decorated. He was one of Tamil Nadu’s main players through the late 80s and early 90s.

He was a key member of the team that won Tamil Nadu’s second Ranji Trophy title in 1987-88, scoring 160 in the quarter-finals against Uttar Pradesh and 89 in the final against Railways. He followed that up with a 56-ball fourth-innings century in the Irani Trophy against Rest of India. It was the fastest hundred in first-class cricket by an Indian at that time.

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Those consistent run-scoring feats in domestic cricket helped VB Chandrasekhar break into the Indian team. In his short international career, he failed to make much impression. In seven ODIs, he scored at an average of 12.57 while making one half-century, a 77-ball 53 against New Zealand.

Shocked to hear of the passing of
VB Chandrashekhar. Way too soon. Wish his wife and two daughters the strength to cope.

— Harsha Bhogle (@bhogleharsha) August 15, 2019

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Despite falling down the pecking order in the national team, he remained a big name in domestic cricket. VB Chandrasekhar made 572 runs in the 1991-92 season and went on to lead the Tamil Nadu side. He moved on to Goa for the final leg of his first-class career, for whom he scored a personal best 237* against Kerala. Overall, he played 81 first-class games, scoring 4,999 runs at an average of over 43. He also scored 10 centuries and 23 fifties.

After hanging his boots as a cricketer, he served as the national selector and also coached the Tamil Nadu team during the 2012-13 season. He was appointed team director of the Chennai Super Kings franchise during the inception of the Indian Premier League in 2008. In fact, he is the one who N. Srinivasan to pick MS Dhoni over Virender Sehwag as the team’s marquee signing.

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