In the Ranji Trophy match against Mumbai last fortnight, Sunil Joshi completed 3,000 runs to compliment his 300 wickets in India's premier domestic tournament.
As a youngster, he traveled 80 miles a day to keep his ambition of playing for Karnataka alive. Soon, he made his mark in the junior ranks as a left-arm spinner with a smooth action and an attacking batsman.
When the call to national ranks came, he scored 92 runs and claimed nine wickets against Bangladesh in the inaugural Test and bowled a mesmerising spell of 5 for 6 against South Africa in a one-day international. Apart from these instances, statistics, in general, haven't shown his true worth to the national side.
He made an uneventful Test debut against England at Birmingham in 1996 but his exit was even more unfortunate.
On a Nagpur wicket in 2001, India were unable to bowl out Zimbabwe. Joshi bore the brunt of the selectors' fury and was shown the way out. The door has remained shut ever since, but the 34-year-old spinner is not short of hope.
Cricket Correspondent Deepti Patwardhan spoke to the spinner about his prolific performances in domestic cricket and his ambitions of making a comeback to the Indian side. The first of a two-part interview:
How much have you savoured the experience of playing for Karnataka?
It gives me lot of happiness to bowl for Karnataka, because I have played with Anil (Kumble), Rahul (Dravid), (Javagal) Srinath and Venky (Venkatesh Prasad). It is such a talented team even now. There are lots of youngsters and we are on the verge of rebuilding the side.
Do you think performances in the Ranji Trophy have lost their importance?
The basic criterion for any cricketer to enter the national team is still the Ranji Trophy and first class cricket. If you do well here your chances of going to the national team are more. I play because I love taking wickets. I don't believe in the X-factors.
Is your age going against you?
Spinners mature only after 30. If you take a player's age, I don't think it's a good gesture. If a youngster is not doing well at 20 how can you say he is going to do well at 25? You cannot keep him at the expense of a senior who is delivering the goods match after match. There should not be different yardsticks for different players.
If Ranji Trophy performances are not going to be primarily considered, then what is the need to play the tournament?
Was it a fair call by for the selectors to drop you based on the performance in Nagpur against Zimbabwe in 2001?
I was the only one person dropped from that fifteen. Because they said it was a turning track. I made clear to the journalists that it was a flat track and I got six wickets, three in each innings, and if the selectors want to drop me because of this, fair enough. It should apply to all the players, why only me? All the other bowlers continued.
Is there a sense of injustice?
Definitely. This is the third season where I have taken more than 45 wickets and plus the runs. What is the point in playing domestic cricket if the selectors are going to ignore the performances? Where do the players who have been performing in domestic competitions go?
You were always seen more of a one-day player.
Why is it that they set the trend according to their convenience? They never allow a player to do his justice. This is where I would say that injustice had been done. Whenever the axe came, I got it.
Do you think you weren't able to fulfill your potential as a batsman?
If your captain tells you your job is to slog and come back, what does it mean? I have got to play for the team. Your job is to change the situation with just 20 runs. When they say you have done injustice to your batting talent, the captain and coach should stand behind and justify.
How have your Karnataka mates in the Indian side helped you through these years?
When I was on the verge of being selected to the Indian team, they would encourage me saying if some X player can get into the team, why can't you? You have the talent, you have done well in batting and bowling. That is the motivation they gave us.
How big a role did Anil Kumble play in your improvement as a bowler?
When I played international cricket, I had the luxury of having Anil bowl from the other end. I never bowled under pressure. Slowly when the burden fell on me I realised how it is. You improve with experience. You have to watch and see what the senior is doing.
You have also been close to Bishan Singh Bedi.
I was lucky to have coaching from Bedi. Till I met him in 1996, in the one-off Test against Australia, my dream was only to see him. I never knew I am going to be so close to him. Even now whenever I am short of confidence or anything I just pick up the phone and talk to him. That's the greatness of the man. He told me the finer points in bowling as well.
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