shankar ("Ravi") Jayadritha Shastri (born 27 May 1962 in Mumbai) , is a former Indian cricketer. He was an all–rounder who batted right–handed and bowled left arm spin. His international career started when he was 18 years old and lasted 12 years. He started his career purely as a bowler but gradually became more of a batsman who could bowl.
He had made his first-class debut as a 17 year old in Indian domestic cricket in 1980, and in 1980/81 Shastri made his Test debut against New Zealand. He subsequently appeared in 80 Tests and 150 One Day Internationals, besides being
“Player of the Tournament” in the 1984/85 World Championship of Cricket in Australia.
Unlike most other big hitters, Shastri started his career as a lower-order hitter, but he could also be - and increasingly was - a top-order stonewaller who was often criticised for his slow scoring. The Jekyll and Hyde style was never more apparent than in January 1985. On January 4 he had been pelted with fruit by an angry crowd for his seven-hour hundred in the Test against England, and riot police had to be summoned to Eden Gardens. Exactly a week later he became the second man to hit six sixes in an over when he mauled the unfortunate slow left-armer Tilak Raj while playing for Bombay against Baroda in a Ranji Trophy match. His Test century took 354 balls; against Baroda he made a double hundred in 112 minutes off 123 deliveries.
The highlight of his career was when he was elected the "Champion of Champions" in the World Championship of Cricket in Australia in 1985. In the same season, he equalled West Indian Garry Sobers's record of hitting six sixes in an over in first class cricket
Shastri also holds the world record for the fastest ever double century in first-class cricket, having hit 200* off just 123 balls in only 113 minutes for Bombay against Baroda in the Ranji Trophy at Bombay. During this career best performance, Shastri hit thirteen sixes, including six in an over from Tilak Raj.
No comments:
Post a Comment