Two former Indian captains, Kris Srikkanth and Anjum Chopra, are the joint recipients of this year’s highly prized CK Nayudu Lifetime Award bestowed by the BCCI.
The pair will be honoured at the annual BCCI Awards event which will be held in Mumbai on January 12th, two days ahead of the first ODI against Australia, with the award recognition of their contribution to Indian cricket.
60 year old Srikkanth was captain of the Indian team that won the World Cup in 1983, making 38 in the final against a fearsome West Indies attack that included Malcolm Marshall, Joel Garner, Andy Roberts and Michael Holding. He represented India from 1981 to 1992, during which time he played in 43 tests, making 2 centuries and 12 fifties, and accumulating more than 2,000 runs.
He is probably best known for his exploits in one day cricket though, appearing in 146 ODIs for India, and scoring four hundreds and 27 half-centuries, and acquiring a reputation for being a fearless hooker, despite not wearing a helmet. An occasional bowler, he chipped in with 25 wickets as well for his country.
Srikkanth retired after the World Cup in 205 held in Australia and New Zealand, and then had a spell coaching the India A side. Between 2009 and 2012 he was chairman of the national selection committee and also had a role as ambassador for the Chennai Super Kings IPL franchise. He has also enjoyed a successful media career, and, in 2013, was a contestant in the popular TV show Jhalak Dikhhla Jaa.
42 year old Anjum Chopra is regarded as one of the finest batswoman that India has ever produced. Born into a family of sportspeople – her father is a golfer, whilst her grandfather was an athlete who competed for India – she played 12 tests, 127 ODIs and 18 T20s for India between 1995 and 2012, making more than 3,600 international runs in the process.
The left-handed opener was part of the India team that reached the final of the Women’s World Cup in 2005, where they were beaten by Australia.
Post retirement, she has made a name for herself as a motivational speaker, consultant, author and actor. In 2016 she was the first Indian woman cricketer to be given honorary membership of the MCC (Marylebone Cricket Club).
