Former captain Dilip Vengsarkar on Friday received the prestigious BCCI-instituted Col. C K Nayudu Lifetime achievement award for his contribution to Indian cricket.
The 58-year-old Vengsarkar played 116 Test matches after coming into national prominence with a belligerent hundred for Mumbai against the Rest of India in the Irani Cup game at the start of the 1975-76 season.
He was a member of the Indian team that won the World Cup in 1983 and the World Championship of Cricket in 1985, and he led India in ten Tests in 1987-89. He was Chairman of the BCCI’s Talent Research Development Committee for three years, and the Chairman of the All-India Senior Selection Committee for the period, 2006-08.
“I thank BCCI for this honour. Looking at the names of players who have won the award makes me proud to be part of this select group,” said Vengsarkar.
Vengsarkar also thanked his school (King George of old and Raja Shivaji now), Podar College, Mumbai university, Dadar Union club and also former BCCI joint secretary Prof. Chandgadkar for the help they gave him during his playing days.
“I dreamed of playing for Mumbai and then for India and I enjoyed every innings, Test match, ODI and every tour as part of the Indian team,” said Vengsarkar, who received the award from Board’s interim president Shivlal Yadav.
He also wished the Indian cricket team success in the upcoming tour of Australia for which the team is to depart later tonight as well as in the World Cup that follows.
Indian medium-pacer Bhuvneshwar Kumar and Rohit Sharma, both members of the squad that is to leave for Australia tonight, were also rewarded for their stupendous displays in the season.
Kumar received the Polly Umrigar award and a cheque of Rs. 5 lakh for his superb display with the ball and bat while Sharma received a special award for slamming a world record 264 in the fourth ODI against Sri Lanka in the recent series.
“It’s a great feeling to get the award. It will motivate me to do better,” said Kumar.
List of awardees:
Col C K Nayudu Lifetime Achievement Award: Dilip Vengsarkar — Citation, trophy and cheque for Rs. 25 lakh
Polly Umrigar Award: Bhuvneshwar Kumar – Trophy and cheque for 5 lakh (263 runs, inclusive of three fifties and 22 wickets from 7 Tests, 17 wickets from 22 ODIs, 7 wickets from 7 T20 Internationals.
Special award: Rohit Sharma for scoring a world record ODI score of 264 in the fourth and penultimate match of the five-game series against Sri Lanka earlier this month.
Lala Amarnath Award for the best all rounder in Ranji Trophy 2013-14: Parvez Rasool (J & K CA) — Trophy and cheque for 2.5 lakh (663 runs and 27 wickets from 9 matches)
Lala Amarnath Award for the best all rounder in domestic limited overs domestic competitions 2013-14: R Vinay Kumar —— (KSCA) —Trophy and cheque for 2.5 lakh (113 runs and 40 wickets from 12 matches)
Madhavrao Scindia Awad for highest scorer in Ranji Trophy 2013-14: Kedar Jadhav (Maharashtra CA) — Trophy and cheque for Rs 2.5 lakh (1223 runs in 11 matches @ 87.35, inclusive of six hundreds and 2 fifties)
Madhavrao Scindia Awad for highest wicket taker in Ranji Trophy 2013-14: Rishi Dhawan (HPCA) — Trophy and cheque for Rs 2.5 lakh (49 wickets @ 20.3 in 8 matches, Inclusive of six 5WI and one 10WM)
M A Chidambaram Trophy for best under 25 cricketer 2013-14: Rahul Tripathi (Maharashtra CA) — Trophy and cheque for Rs 50,000 (797 runs @ 88.55 in 7 matches, inclusive of four centuries and one fifty, in the Col. C K Nayudu Trophy)
M A Chidambaram Trophy for best under 19 cricketer 2013-14: B Anirudh (Hyderabad CA) — Trophy and cheque for Rs 50,000 (909 runs @ 82.63 in 7 matches, inclusive of three hundreds and three fifties, in the Cooch Behar Trophy)
M A Chidambaram Trophy for best under 16 cricketer 2013-14: Shubham Gill (PCA) — Trophy and cheque for Rs 50,000 (734 runs @ 73.4 in 7 matches, inclusive of three hundreds and two fifties, in the Vijay Merchant Trophy)
M A Chidambaram Trophy for best woman cricketer 2013-14: Smriti Mandhana (Maharashtra CA) — Trophy and cheque for 50,000 (821 runs @ 136.83 in 10 matches, inclusive of four hundreds and three fifties, in the under 19 inter state women’s limited overs tournament)
Best umpire in domestic cricket 2013-14: Anil Chaudhary — Trophy and cheque for 50,000
Best overall performance in 2013-14: Maharashtra CA 13 points; Railways Sports Promotion Board 13 points.