Former Indian cricketer VB Chandrasekhar passes away

Former Indian opener and a stalwart of Tamil Nadu cricket, VB Chandrasekhar passed away yesterday (15th August) aged 57 in Chennai. The attacking batsman made his national debut in 1988 against New Zealand and represented India in seven ODIs. Post his playing days, he served as a national selector and also coached the Tamil Nadu state team.

A swashbuckling opener

Chandrasekhar made his first-class debut for Tamil Nadu during the 1986/87 season. He was off to a great start a heavily successful domestic season in 1987/88 where he scored 551 runs respectively. He played a major role in Tamil Nadu’s Ranji Trophy victory in that season.

In the following season, Chandrasekhar blasted a century off just 56 balls in a match in the Irani Trophy, an Indian record in first-class cricket at the time. This earned him an ODI call-up against New Zealand in December 1988. However, the batsman failed to make a mark at the international level.

Performing consistently in domestic cricket, Chandrasekhar also went on to become the captain of Tamil Nadu side. In 1995/96, he left Tamil Nadu to play for Goa. There he achieved his highest score of 237 not out against Kerala while representing Goa.

As administrator

In July 2012, Chandrasekhar became the coach of Tamil Nadu. The stint did not last long with the team not performing up to the mark. He also served on selection panels, both at the national and domestic levels. Apart from working as a commentator, he also ran a cricket academy in Chennai.

Chandrasekhar also owned a team in the TNPL (Kanchipuram side) and made regular appearances at the event. He is also credited for convincing CSK owners to secure MS Dhoni in the inaugural IPL auction.

Shocked to hear of the passing of
VB Chandrashekhar. Way too soon. Wish his wife and two daughters the strength to cope.

— Harsha Bhogle (@bhogleharsha) August 15, 2019