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Vijay Bharadwaj

Vijay Bharadwaj

He came into the Indian team on the strength of his superb run making feats around the domestic circuit - including well over 1000 runs in the Ranji Trophy alone last season. But he quickly established himself in the one day team as a utility man what with his off spin bowling being an added advantage. And even if he did not exactly have a dream debut in the first Test against New Zealand at Mohali, there is little doubt that Vijay Bharadwaj is here to stay in the Indian Test team too. Such has been his impact that the 24-year-old Karnataka player is already seen as a long term prospect by even the discerning cricket fans. In racing parlance, he is a stayer, not a sprinter.

The soft spoken and unassuming Bharadwaj has many things going for him. The first is his undoubted talent. When a batsman scores over 1200 runs in a single Ranji Trophy season, he must be enormously gifted. Not to mention, one with a voracious appetite for runs. Secondly, his temparament is first rate. He is not one to be overawed by the big occasion or the big reputations. A steely resolve to do well, however strong the opposition, and a never say die attitude are other welcome qualities that have already characterised his brief international career so far. And there is little doubt that these will be seen in abundant measure in the years to come.

Bharadwaj had been spoken of as a prospect for the National team for a couple of years. But he came up through the ranks, first representing India A against Australia A in Los Angeles in early September. But the selectors had him already marked for bigger things and when a couple of the stars were not available for the LG Cup in Nairobi later that month, Bharadwaj was picked for the senior squad. And his impact was immediate. Even as Sunil Joshi cornered the glory with that mesmeric spell of 10-6-6-5 in the opening game against South Africa, and even as Nikhil Chopra supported the left arm spinner with three wickets, the bowling effort of Bharadwaj did not go unnoticed. For one thing, he was picked more for his batting and yet here he was sending down a full quota of ten overs. Secondly, he picked up the vital wicket of Kallis. And third, he gave away only 16 runs. Fittingly enough, Bharadwaj was there at the finish, unbeaten with 18, having gone in at No 3 as India romped hom by eight wickets with plenty to spare.

Notable as the performance was it was just a stepping stone towards something bigger. In the very next match, he scored 41 not out and took three for 38 against Kenya to take the man of the match award. And by the end of the competition, even as India lost the final against South Africa after a close contest, there was some consolation for the Indians with Bharadwaj picking up the man of the series award - and in the face of competition from such world beaters as Kallis, Klusener, Cronje, Pollock, Rhodes and Neil Johnson. He scored 89 runs in four innings at an average of 89.00 and also took ten wickets. With that the be-spectacled Bharadwaj proved that he had arrived on the international scene. Surely it is only a matter of time before he proves his credentials in the Test arena too.