Cricket360 would like to inform the readers of this feature that such was the fan following between the two that the fans used to have a fist cuffs exchanged. A view used to be in vogue during those times that when Vishwanath played India won, and when Gavaskar played India either drew that Match or lost it. While the argument may be taken with a pinch of salt, the value of Vishwanath as a player was emphasized by this argument. It is altogether a different matter that now they are relatives, Gavaskar marrying off his sister to Vishwanath.
After he hung his boots, Vishy, as he was popularly called, altogether stepped outside the limelight, concentrating on the state cricket, and associated with the process of cricket as the back room boy. May be, this could be one of the reasons why did not get the same kind of accolades as his brother-in-law still continues to get all over the world or that Vishy was not interested at all for the limelight opines Cricket360.com.
Whatever the reason, and though it has come late, conferring on him the C.K. Naidu Award, one of the most prestigious awards associated with cricket in India, given by BCCI, would indeed be a positive effort in direction of recognizing his enormous talent. It indeed is also incidental that his more famous brother-in-law has been awarded an honorary doctorate by D Y Patil University in Mumbai.
It is an award that could be one of the best birthday gifts that he has received, as it would be conferred on him on February, 18, 6 days after he celebrated his 60th birthday, and one only hopes that from here on more citations would follow him. Cricket360 wonders whether it Bangalore Royal Challengers are using the talent of Vishwanath or not, and if not, then it should be used, as during his heydays Vishy was considered as being at par with
Vivian Richards when he was on song. Presently Vishy is the batting coach at NCA, was chairman of the BCCI senior national selection committee and vice-president of the KSCA. Vishwanath represented India in 91 Tests from 1969-70 to 1982-83 and scored 6,080 runs with a highest score of 222 against England at Madras in 1981-82.
