Former Hyderabad skipper MV Sridhar, who recently resigned as BCCI’s GM of cricket operations, passed away in Hyderabad on Monday morning. Sridhar couldn’t able to handle a massive stroke at his home, and was declared dead upon arrival at the hospital. He is survived by his wife, a son and a daughter.
Besides serving as the BCCI’s General Manager from 2013, Sridhar had been involved in various administrative activities for a number of years. Sridhar played 97 first-class matches for Hyderabad, where he amassed 6,701 runs, with 21 centuries and 27 half centuries from 1988-89 to 1999-00. He also played in 35 List A matches, and scored 930 runs at 29.06, with five half-centuries and a highest scored of 78*.
Sridhar scored the third-highest individual score in the history of the Ranji Trophy, hitting 366 against Andhra in January 1994. Those innings was part of a Hyderabad total of 944/6 declared, still the highest in Ranji history.
Only BB Nimbalkar, who hit 443 not out for Maharashtra against Kathiawar in 1948-49 and Sanjay Manjrekar, who made 377 for Bombay against Hyderabad in 1990-91, has had higher individual scores than Sridhar in the history of Ranji Trophy.
Expressing sorrow at his death, BCCI acting treasurer Anirudh Chaudhry said: “Rest in peace Dr. Sridhar my friend. Gone too early. Tremendous service to cricket both as a player and an administrator.”
Noted commentator Harsha Bhogle tweeted: “Doc Sridhar was someone you could call anytime. I did. Courteous and firm. And a fine batsman. ‘Let’s do it our Hyderabadi way’ he would say.”
Sridhar had been the tournament director when India hosted the World T20 in 2016, besides winning elections to the post of the secretary of the Hyderabad Cricket Association in July 2012.
