Karnataka cricket players

There was a time, maybe when G Viswanath was in BCCI selection committee, that many players in Indian cricket team were from Karnataka. I did not see it as a bias or nepotism in any sense, because among the Indian players available at that time, I thought they were indeed the right ones to get into the Indian team. Also, I have found that players from Karnataka give their best in their deeds and their commitment is unquestionable - Anil Kumble, Rahul Dravid, Javagal Srinath, Venkatesh Prasad etc. True, they may not have been the most talented players even in India, but the most important thing is that one can be sure of their commitment. They had always put themselves in the best position for their capabilities. Kumble is not known for really spinning the ball, but his perseverance and consistency are taller than him.

I may not appreciate their cricketing ideas, as I found them as per 'textbook's or 'British way' of following cricket. For instance, I still remember the one day match at Chennai, where Saeed Anwar hit Kumble out of the ground frequently in one over. I had felt that Kumble should have taken some 'time' off to discuss or atleast acting to discuss to break the 'flow' of Anwar. Similarly, Javagal Srinath 'talk's or 'advice' to other bowlers ('pitch the ball in the right area and pitch will do the rest') are naive to put it mildly. More often, great players cant be good coaches. Sachin Tendulkar cant teach a player how to play straight drive. Of course, he can execute it to perfection. Kumble cant teach anyone because mental make-up was the weapon of Kumble or atleast far more important than the act of bowling. Any captain should love to have players like Kumble, Dravid and Srinath. Personally, I liked players from Karnataka because they all talked down to earth. I read an article in Hindu about Dravid and was impressed reading Kumble's quote - It is important to remember where you started off.