That he has time and again been shunned by the national selectors for no reason has not tied down S. Badrinath. The right-hander continues to impress in spite of never having got his due. His 42-ball 52 against Central Districts was another apt reminder of Badri’s ability to adapt to the demands of the shortest format.
For long, the TN batsman was labelled as a ‘Test match specialist’. The tag only kept him away from the ODI squad and only after his impressive performances in the inaugural IPL did he find a spot albeit briefly in the Indian side. That he was drafted in after Sachin Tendulkar was injured is another matter. For a player who boasts of one of the best domestic records in all three formats, a return of three ODI and two Test caps does not seem to measure favourably.
Chennai Super Kings were in a spot of bother against the Kiwi side when Badri played an innings of sublime touch. There is space and scope for the constructer. Everything in T20 need not be slam bang and Badri showed the way with deft placements and precise timing. He also ushered in the upper cut that changed the complexion of the game. “I knew he was going to bowl the bouncer,” Badri said later. Trying to read the bowler’s mind is an art and Badri is adept at doing it.
The start for the IPL champions was slow but it all changed after the halfway stage where Badri cleared his left leg to create space and make the area behind square on the off-side count for big runs. “It’s a shot that comes naturally to me. Not that I usually hit it for sixes but that upper cut is a shot I like to play,” explained Badri. From a youngster who started with a rigid left elbow that only helped him jabbing at the ball hard, Badri has overcome his weakness by working hard on his game.
“It was tough initially as the wicket had spongy bounce and they bowled with a plan. I tried to play safe for a while and once I got comfortable I decided to play a few shots,” said Badri who was not bailing Chennai Super Kings out of trouble for the first time. Numerous match-winning efforts at all levels have helped Badri remain in the news but not find his rightful spot.
In the three times he walked out to bat in ODIs, he has guided the team home at least once in a tricky chase. In three Test innings, he has scored a hard fought 56 and was dismissed by Dale Steyn who bowled probably one of the best overs in recent memory in Kolkata. Many batsmen would have failed to negotiate the first five deliveries!
The selectors must also keep a tab on his work ethics and reward it suitably. Some of the younger batsmen seen in action in Sri Lanka had taken their place for granted. Badri at the other end of the axis continues to fight it out in all levels possible. Be it is fielding or part-time off-spin, Badri has only given his best but a regular run with Team India continues to be elusive while batsmen who don’t do half his work or come anywhere near his first-class record beat him on the Indian team sheet.
If the soft-spoken Chennaite has lost faith in the system he cannot be faulted for it. At 30, Badri has a lot of good cricket left in him and with his fit body and hunger for runs, there is still time for Indian cricket to get something out of this hard-working batsman.