Siddharth Tamil Nadu One Day Team

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Left arm spinner M Siddharth, mentored by V Suresh, gets the big break immediately after he moves from the Chemplast Group to India Cements

Siddharth had picked up 52 and 43 wickets for Alwarpet (Chemplast) in two successive years and ran up big wickets in VAP One Day Tournament and in the U23 tourney during that period but failed to find a place in the TN squad 

Have any of the TN Selectors watched a first division league match not involving India Cements in the last five years?

This is no co-incidence. This is the unwritten law in TN cricket these days. TN selectors dont watch matches played by non India Cements teams in the first division. 21 year old left arm spinner M Siddharth, who first played as an 11 year old in the TNCA league in the team (Sir MCTM Old Boys) that I captained (for a decade) has finally found a place in the TN team for the interstate one day tournament that will start later this month, this after many years of strong performances in the first division league and the interstate age group tournaments  But unfortunately there is a twisted angle to his selection at this point and the reason why TN has fared so badly all these years.

Mentoring under V Suresh ( Former SBI) for a decade
His cricketing story began as a 7 year old when he joined V Suresh's Academy at Meenakshi College, Kodambakkam. The Former SBI player's  cricket academy is easily one of the best in the city. Suresh knows the name of every single player in his academy. He is personally present every single day talking to his wards, both of these are credits that most academies/coaches in the city cannot boast.

It was Suresh who stood with Siddharth during the first decade of his cricket seeing him through the U14, U16 and U19 phases helping him both with his left arm spin as well as the attitude that differentiates Siddharth in the cricketing circles today. It was Suresh who mentored Siddharth throughout this entire foundation phase of his career. If Siddharth is still down to earth as a human being, a lot of the credit goes to Suresh for his mentoring. Till very recently, Siddharth would visit Suresh on the eve of every match to take his 'Acharya's' blessing, yet another feature that very few youngsters follow today. His move this year to India Cements too had the blessings of Suresh.

Strong Performances

Siddharth picked up 22 wickets in 6 matches years ago playing for IOB in the first division. He has since figured in the state team in age group cricket – U16, U19 and U23 and also played for South Zone U19.

In 2017-18, he was the leading wicket taker in the VAP one day tournament that takes place between the first division teams. In the same season, he was 2^nd in the bowling rankings taking 52 wickets in the first division league.

Aged 19, with these consistent performances behind him - 2^nd among the bowlers in the Palayampatti shield and the top wicket taker in the one day league, he did not figure in the TN squad for any of the tournaments – Ranji Trophy, Vijay Hazare or the T20 tournament (Syed Mushtaq Ali).

Last season, he picked up 43 wickets in the first division league, that’s a whopping 95wickets in two league seasons.

Not considered despite extraordinary showing

The reason for his exclusion… And here comes the twist that most youngsters in TN cricket have struggled to come to terms with. He was playing for Alwarpet, a team run by Chemplast. As has been known to most in the Chennai cricketing circles, it is quite difficult for upcoming cricketers to find their name in the TN squad unless they belong to any of the teams run by India Cements. It has almost become an unwritten law in TN cricket - such is state of affairs of the powers that be who have been running cricket over the last decade or two. 

Interestingly in the 3 years preceding that, Siddharth had taken 22, 22 and 31wickets in the first division league. Last year, in the U23 state matches, he took close to 30 wickets. Many years ago, when he was in the U16 age group, he picked up over 30 wickets for TN and ranked in the top 3 in the wicket takers list across the country (Remember another upcoming left arm spinner S Sriram having done that many decades ago in the U13 and U15 tournaments at that time).  To date Siddharth has close to 200 wickets in the first division across formats.

Youngsters standing firm till their heart is broken

Another youngster who is standing firm for the moment is left handed batsman Vishal Vaidya who continues to play for Alwarpet. He has scored lot of runs for Alwarpet and in the U19 and U23 levels.  In the recent past, players (from non India Cements teams) like Thalaivan Sargunan (MRF) - he scored tons of runs at his peak, fast bowler Rohith Ramalingam ( he has performed well in the TNPL and in the VAP tourney) and AC Prathiban who has been picking up wickets consistently almost every season have all been ignored. There are many more such talented players for whom there seems to be no light playing for the non Indian Cements teams. 

Much like Vishal Vaidya, Siddharth too remained firm till this year that he would not move out of Alwarpet. Why would anyone move out of a team after picking up well over 100 wickets for them in two seasons and having figured in the top of the league championship. Same for Vishal Vaidya too. If he is batting in the top 4 for his team and getting ample opportunities to make a mark and if he is scoring centuries and his team is making it to the knock outs (and if he is paid well too) what reason would such a youngster have to move to another team other than this ugly unwritten rule in TN cricket of ‘play for India Cements’ team and you will make it to the next big league. 

It is truly commendable that at 22, Vishal Vaidya has taken a philosophical stance of sticking to a team where he has made runs and is continuing with the hope that merit would take him to the top. Siddharth too was on the same path until the below communication happened a few months back.

One of the top cricketing officials of India Cements met Siddharth personally ahead of this new season and got him to sign up for the team (he moved from Alwarpet to Grand Slam this new league season). And the outcome is there for all to see within a matter of three months. He has just been included in the 14 man TN squad for the Vijay Hazare tournament.

It is unlikely he would have made the squad had he continued with Alwarpet going by the past record of the selectors (they dont watch these league matches).

Is this the direction India Cements' bosses want Cricket to go in Tamil Nadu. Is this the message they want to give upcoming youngsters. Play for IC if you want to get into the TN squad. Centuries and wickets wont matter if you keep playing club cricket for other teams. Many have experienced this over the last decade and it has only increased with time  (India Cements runs 14 league teams in the TNCA league). It is said that selectors are mute spectators at meetings with the powers that be having a strong say in the selection.

Top Officials of India Cements have played top notch cricket in the local league in their times. It is now time for them to move away from this short sighted self driven approach. This attitude was also a reason for the fall from the top at the national level when they held the powers not so long ago. If they do not recognize the wrongs that are happening in TN cricket and do not provide a fair deal to talented and performing youngsters, they will pay a price in the not too distant future.

A coach of many years of one of the leading non India Cements teams in the first division said that no selector has had a look at his team in the last three years in any of the first division matches or VAP one day tournament. The last time he says a selector watched their team play was when Kalli (B Kalyanasundaram) visited their ground and watched a match many years ago. Is this the way India Cements wants to run cricket in Tamil Nadu. Selectors would sit in the comforts of the TNCA and select a team dominated by players from the India Cements.

This is a sad tale and one hopes that the top officials will take remedial action this season and select players on merit irrespective of the clubs they play for. These officials have had their time for far too long. It is now time for some Fair Play in TN cricket