He is perhaps one of the most underrated bowlers of the country, yet Javagal Srinath is always encouraging of the young cricketers.
He talks to Metrolife about his role in cricket — both on and off the field — and about his childhood.
"Whenever I get an opportunity to be a part of any event related to children, I feel very nostalgic and it makes me go down memory lane. I studied at the Avilla Convent in Mysore till class seven and had to change my school after that," he says, with a glint of nostalgia in his eyes.
The shy child, who often wondered whether he would ever be able to be on stage, turned into a world-renowned cricketer.
"My teachers always asked me to be on the last bench, as events like debates and quizzes were meant for intelligent students.
Now, when I look at the competition that kids face, I feel that every child is a winner and everyone has made it big already. It is the preparation, enthusiasm and anxiety with which children ready themselves for a particular competition which make them stand out," he says.
Looking back at the years when he was active on the field, he says that the pressure was always there. However, it depended on the player and how he handled it.
"I strongly feel that parents should not compel their children to be number one, it really does not matter at the end. Parents and teachers should give more support to children rather than pressurise them," he says.
As an administrator of the sport, he believes himself to be in a challenging
position and says, "The youngsters are faring well, especially people like Umesh Yadav. I feel they have a long way to go. I try my best to give the youngsters a fair chance so that they can prove themselves."
He goes on to add that the Indian cricket team is in a good position.
"The current trend is in favour of the Indian cricket team. They are the current world champions and as long as they can sustain it, it is good for the team. The team is full of some talented people and some very promising players.
The fitness levels of the players are much better and it is nice to see them
play well," adds the former fast bowler of the Indian squad.When asked about the
current crop of fast bowlers, he says that the fitness levels of the fast bowlers now are much better than the fitness levels of past ones.
"Zaheer Khan is doing very well this season and youngsters like Yadav are very promising. They just have to keep the momentum and I am sure they will do very well. The biggest thing that a fast bowler has to keep in mind is to take care of his health
and maintain his fitness levels," advises the veteran bowler.