Shiv Sundar Das

[Richard]

Was just wondering, TBH, what this guy's up to these days. I've just been thinking through the India tour of ours in 2001\02 where I thought "their batting in those days was top-notch: Dravid, Tendulkar, Laxman and (if out-of-touch around that time) Ganguly. I'm sure there was someone else too. " Then I remembered - old SS at the top of the order (alongside Deep Dasgupta ).

Someone who always frustrated me no end, was Shiv Sundar Das. Technically superb, just about everything an opener could wish for really. Just the one problem - he always found a way to get out. Back in t' day his domestic-First-Class average was always good, but not outstanding for an Indian opener (Sriram was averaging over 60 at that time, and there were the Aakash Chopras, Wasim Jaffers et al who averaged over 50), and I think we saw why in his Test career - he just wasn't run-hungry enough. He'd very often get over the new-ball but then fail to cash-in because of a rash stroke, and he usually found a different rash stroke to play every innings.

What's he up to these days? Arjun? Akhil? SJS?

And is there any prospect of him getting back in (IIRR he'd be in his late 20s, early 30s now?). He just seemed to drift out of the picture, really - was dropped because Sehwag was pushed up the order in 2002 and his form in the tour-games was poor, then never got back in despite the Jaffers, Sanjay Bangars and Chopras coming and going. Now, with the makeshift opener in Sehwag finally dispensed with, what do they do? Go and put another one (Karthik) straight in there. This is after trying the likes of Yuvraj Singh and, worst of all, Parthiv Patel at the top of the order in the meantime.

Seems a bit of a shame really. I mean, Das was no Gavaskar-second-coming or anything, but I just always thought that with a bit of good fortune around the 2002 time he might, maybe, have cut-out the unforced-errors and ended-up a top-notch opener for a decade and more. Indians have a tendency to just disappear following missed-opportunity Test careers - Sarandeep Singh is another one. Haven't heard from either for years now, as I barely note a single thing in the Indian domestic season.

Be nice to have someone fill me in.

 

[chaminda_00]

Scored a massive 300 not out last season, but apart from that hasn't scored a hundred one hundred in three seasons. Record since he got dropped from India and India A:

2003-04 (India) 10 16 2 650 124* 46.42  3 1 3   
2004-05 (India) 7 13 1 407 141   33.91  1 1 3   
2005-06 (India) 9 13 0 293 79   22.53  0 2 10   
2006-07 (India) 9 13 1 554 300* 46.16  1 0 5

I don't think he even played in the Duleep Trophy in 04/05 and 05/06.

Also it should be noted that cus he plays for a low profiled club side, he has to perform at an extremely high level to get noticed by selectors. So his really next to no chance unless he has some massive seasons.

 

[adharcric]

SS Das has no chance of a comeback to the national side. He is nearly 30, playing for a weak Orissa side and has not put up huge numbers despite playing in the Plate League. Chopra is back in the mix and the test opening scene is looking pretty good right now even with Sehwag out of action. Let's hope the test series against Pakistan presents some tough wickets so we get a good indication of the best combination for Australia.

 

[SJS]

Was just wondering, TBH, what this guy's up to these days. I've just been thinking through the India tour of ours in 2001\02 where I thought "their batting in those days was top-notch: Dravid, Tendulkar, Laxman and (if out-of-touch around that time) Ganguly. I'm sure there was someone else too. " Then I remembered - old SS at the top of the order (alongside Deep Dasgupta ).

Someone who always frustrated me no end, was Shiv Sundar Das. Technically superb, just about everything an opener could wish for really. Just the one problem - he always found a way to get out. Back in t' day his domestic-First-Class average was always good, but not outstanding for an Indian opener (Sriram was averaging over 60 at that time, and there were the Aakash Chopras, Wasim Jaffers et al who averaged over 50), and I think we saw why in his Test career - he just wasn't run-hungry enough. He'd very often get over the new-ball but then fail to cash-in because of a rash stroke, and he usually found a different rash stroke to play every innings.

What's he up to these days? Arjun? Akhil? SJS?

And is there any prospect of him getting back in (IIRR he'd be in his late 20s, early 30s now?). He just seemed to drift out of the picture, really - was dropped because Sehwag was pushed up the order in 2002 and his form in the tour-games was poor, then never got back in despite the Jaffers, Sanjay Bangars and Chopras coming and going. Now, with the makeshift opener in Sehwag finally dispensed with, what do they do? Go and put another one (Karthik) straight in there. This is after trying the likes of Yuvraj Singh and, worst of all, Parthiv Patel at the top of the order in the meantime.

Seems a bit of a shame really. I mean, Das was no Gavaskar-second-coming or anything, but I just always thought that with a bit of good fortune around the 2002 time he might, maybe, have cut-out the unforced-errors and ended-up a top-notch opener for a decade and more. Indians have a tendency to just disappear following missed-opportunity Test careers - Sarandeep Singh is another one. Haven't heard from either for years now, as I barely note a single thing in the Indian domestic season.

Be nice to have someone fill me in.

Shiv Sunder who ????

Seriously youare right that he was a pretty decent opener. More like Aakash Chopra with a wider range of shots. He failed once when India wanted him and not having a Godfather and not being from a centre that counts and not having a single sponser using him in an ad meant he was forgotten for good. He will never play for India again and frankly as of today it wouldnt be justified too.

India has never treated its openers (other than megastars) well and they are not goingto start doing it soon.

As for Sarandeep, he should have never ever played a game for India. He was never good enough for that level. I cant find a single thing to commend him eaxcept....maybe....that he too wore a 'patka' (headgear of Bedi and Harbhajan)

 

[vic_orthdox]

From memory, he played a season at open365's club (Liverpool CC, I think), a season or two ago.

 

[Richard]

I remember that now you mention it, think Bowman said something not so long ago actually.

 

[steds]

He did indeed play at Liverpool. Played for Newton-Le-Willows for two summers before that.


Love Shiv. So gun.

 

[The Sean]

2003-04 (India) 10 16 2 650 124* 46.42  3 1 3   
2004-05 (India) 7 13 1 407 141   33.91  1 1 3   
2005-06 (India) 9 13 0 293 79   22.53  0 2 10   
[B]2006-07 (India) 9 13 1 554 300* 46.16  1 0 5 [/B]

Now there's an example of Andy Sandham-esque average distortion! Out of pure curiosity, do you know the standard of the attack he made that 300 against, considering he didn't pass 50 in 12 other innings that season?

 

[Pup Clarke]

Was Dasgupta really that bad a batsmen, can't remember of the top of my head but he was an awful keeper.

 

[Richard]

He was OK (and no more than that) as a batsman but he was quite the worst wicketkeeper who was apparently a genuine wicketkeeper (rather than say Dravid or Trescothick who were always denoted batsman-who-can-also-keep) I've ever seen. In just 3 or 4 Tests he dropped 2 or 3 sitters - the type Alec Stewart went years without dropping.

 

[Pup Clarke]

Shame Parthiv Patel is out of the reckoning (and quite rightly to), MS Dhoni and Dinesh Karthik are doing a pretty good job atm so I don't think we'll be seeing Parthiv for a while, looked like a decent keeper and a good batsmen when I saw him in 2002.

 

[Richard]

Patel was an oft-inept wicketkeeper (things came to a head in the 2004\05 Australia series - who knows, had Karthik played from the start of that India might have got a drawn series... along with had they not had people deliberately sabotaging their prospects by preparing seaming pitches... and had they not missed Tendulkar, Ganguly and Pathan for 2 Tests each and Harbhajan for 1) and a more useless than useful batsman TBH - he was always someone who'd score a few runs, but never really look like he could be more than a gutsy fighter.

Unlike Karthik and Dhoni who are clearly genuine batsmen.

 

[Agent TBY]

Think he signed up for the ICL now? Pretty much kills his India hopes, if they weren't shot already.

 

[Richard]

Sriram, what is going on? You're in danger of posting not only regularly on CC, but on cricket-related subjects!

 

[Agent TBY]

Sriram, what is going on? You're in danger of posting not only regularly on CC, but on cricket-related subjects!

Two posts in two days is hardly anything worth writing home about.

Besides, I could listen to the India - England games thanks to the ridiculously loud volume my folks like the Television to be on. Though I spent more time in that thread bagging on Turb's 60-odd incher.

 

[R_D]

Think he signed up for the ICL now? Pretty much kills his India hopes, if they weren't shot already.

P Patel ? don't think he has... haven't heard anythign about that.
HE just had a pretty good India A tour... scored few centuries not sure whether his keeping has improved....... god i hope i never see him keeping again at least.

 

[Agent TBY]

Nah, not Patel. Das.