Srinivasan S Vimal Khumar TNPL Marketing Campaign

Former Ranji Cricketer S Srinivasan has always been an extrovert and with a stylish English accent. He has also been vocal in his communication. He played Ranji Trophy cricket for Bombay in the late 1970s and later for Tamil Nadu in the 1980s including scoring a century along with NP Madhavan in the knock out match against UP. He was a product of YSCA Gurumurthy's team having played a lot of his early cricket at the Somasundaram ground in T. Nagar alongside S Kedarnath (https://prtraveller.blogspot.com/2021/06/kedarnath-s-opener-from-1970s.html) and TA Sekar (https://prtraveller.blogspot.com/2013/08/ta-sekar-architect-behind-worlds-best.html).  He played for SPIC in the first division in the 1980s. Later in the 1990s, he was a coach at the VB Cricket Academy soon after it was launched.

This week in August, Srinivasan went on an aggressive and an almost unheard of two day marketing campaign for his mentee Vimal Khumar pitching for a place for him in the XI for the knock out Semi Final in the TNPL on Friday evening. Vimal Khumar had not played in any of the matches in the league phase in this year's TNPL but Srinivasan felt that in such a long tournament, a young cricketer who had performed creditably at age group level deserved at least one opportunity in the TNPL.

Srinivasan had earlier set up a meeting for Vimal Khumar with Alvin Kallicharan during his previous trip to Madras for Vimal to learn the batting tips from the former West Indian batting legend.

Srinivasan wrote a direct message to Dindigul Dragons’ coach S Badrinath suggesting the inclusion of Vimal Khumar. In his communication to Badri, he asked him to consider left hander Vimal to open alongside another left hander Hari Nishanth (right hander Lokeshwar had been opening through the league phase of the tournament) in the knock out match against Chennai Super Gillies on Friday. 

Srinivasan told Badri that as a fielder, Vimal Khumar could save 25+ runs on the field!!!!

He wrote to Badrinath that he had been advising the youngster the value of 100s & 200s for a long time & that Vimal had come close by scoring some 180 runs plus in a match. 

Interestingly, Srinivasan did not restrict his marketing campaign just with the coach of Dindigul Dragons. He also wrote individual messages to the TV Commentators Naani, S Ramesh and Pattabhi. Srinivasan told Naani that he has been guiding Vimal Khumar and that he deserved a chance in the knock out match against Chennai Super Gillies on Friday. Srinivasan told Ramesh he was doing similar to what they do in Bombay for whatever it is worth at an appropriate time . He told Ramesh he had done a similar act when Sai Sudharshan was not picked in the State Junior side despite big scores and that he had pitched with the selector to consider him on the basis of his runs.

Srinivasan told Pattabhi that he thought it was the right time to name drop like Bombay "I am doing this name dropping like they do in Bombay backed by previous good performances in some junior State level games." 

Interestingly, Srinivasan also sent media reports of Vimal's earlier knocks for TN in the age group tournaments as well as videos of his batting that impressed one of the commentators who told Srinivasan that Vimal looked every bit of a top batsman in the making and that since Chennai Super Gillies had 3 left arm spinners it would be nice if Vimal played the match on Friday evening. The commentator also told Srinivasan that he would mention the credentials of Vimal (in the commentary) if he played the match!!!!

The moment Vimal was picked on Friday evening after having been continuously dropped for seven matches in the league phase of the tournament, Srinivasan told this writer  "In a way I am happy that my two days campaign for Vimal Khumar to play has come true as big 100s have to be recognized & rewarded."

He also told this writer that he was glad that he was mentoring Vimal and had always asked him to think of only big 100s on his day.

Story below written in January 2019