Krishnamachari Srikkanth, also known as Cheeka, is a former captain of the Indian cricket team and former chairman of the selection committee. He played a crucial part in India’s team batting line up as opener especially on the 1983 Cricket World Cup winning squad by contributing crucial 38 runs as a top scorer in the finals against West Indies. Known for his aggressive opening style, he has represented the Indian National Cricket team and Tamil Nadu in Indian domestic cricket. He is also a commentator on Star Sports Tamil. In 2019, he received the C. K. Nayudu Lifetime Achievement Award, the highest honour conferred by BCCI on a former player
Srikkanth played domestic cricket, for Tamil Nadu and South Zone. He made his One Day International debut against England in Ahmedabad in 1981, followed two days later by his Test debut against England at Bombay at the age of 21. He opened the innings partnering Sunil Gavaskar. Known for his aggressive batting style, he was an early role model for opening batsmen in future years to adopt a similar approach. He was called by his fans as Viv Richards of India
As he matured, he tempered his aggression somewhat and became a mainstay of the Indian cricket team. He was an integral member of the Indian squad when they won the 1983 Prudential World Cup and 1985 Benson & Hedges World Championship of Cricket. In the 1983 World Cup final against the West Indies, Srikkanth top-scored in the finals.
He was made the captain of the Indian team in 1989. In the same year, Sachin Tendulkar made his debut under Srikkanth’s captaincy . He remained the captain of the team for India’s tour of Pakistan in 1990 and managed to draw all the Tests of the series. But the selectors were disappointed with his batting failures and dropped him. He returned two years later and played for another year before being dropped again. He retired from international cricket in 1993. He was the first Indian player to score a half-century and pick up 5 wickets in an ODI. He achieved this feat against New Zealand at Visakhapatnam in 1988. Srikanth Ended his Test Career with 5 Catches in an Innings during his Last Test Match.
Srikkanth holds the unusual distinction of scoring the only run ever scored in international cricket at Ray Mitchell Oval, in Mackay, Australia. The venue hosted its only international match during the 1992 Cricket World Cup, and the match was washed out after two deliveries. In June 2013, Srikkanth participated in the 6th season of Jhalak Dikhhla Jaa.
In February 2022, he participated in StarPlus’s Smart Jodi as Contestant with his wife, Vidya.
