Krishnamachari Srikkanth, Cricketer
Cricketer

Krishnamachari Srikkanth

Born 21 December 1959 · Tamil Nadu

Captained India to victory in the 1985 World Championship of Cricket in Australia.

Krishnamachari "Kris" Srikkanth, also known as Cheeka, is a former Indian cricket captain and coach. He also serves as a cricket commentator. He was a hard-hitting opening batter and an occasional right arm offbreak bowler. He has served as a captain of the Indian cricket team and chairman of the men's selection committee later.

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A detail that
surprised us

“

In December 1988, Srikkanth became only the second cricketer to score a fifty and take five wickets in the same ODI match, a rare all-round achievement.

The Story

1
🎯 In November 1981, 21-year-old Kris Srikkanth debuted for India in an ODI against England in Ahmedabad, opening the innings alongside Sunil Gavaskar, marking the start of a decade-long international career.
2
🏆 He was a key player in the 1983 Cricket World Cup, top scoring with 38 runs in the final against the West Indies, helping India secure a historic victory on a bitterly cold day.
3Between 1986 and 1988, Srikkanth scored all six of his international centuries (two in Tests, four in ODIs), highlighting a peak period of aggressive batting that defined his style.
4🎳 In December 1988 against New Zealand, he scored 70 runs and took five wickets in the same ODI, becoming only the second cricketer to achieve the feat of a fifty and five-wicket haul in a single match.

🏅 Awards & Honours

1981
Arjuna Award
1983
Padma Shri

🔍 One thing most people don't know

“

Srikkanth captained the first-ever youth Test match for India Under-19 in the 1978–79 season, setting a precedent for youth cricket leadership.

🖼️

Through the Years

1 photograph from the archives
Krishnamachari Srikkanth meeting Prime Minister Narendra Modi in New Delhi (2014)
Krishnamachari Srikkanth meeting Prime Minister Narendra Modi in New Delhi (2014)
2014

🗓️ A Life in Moments

🕊️
Birth
Born in Mylapore, Madras
Krishnamachari Srikkanth was born in a Tamil Brahmin family in Mylapore, Tamil Nadu.
1959
⚡
Career
Captained India Under-19 Youth Test
Led the India Under-19 team in the first-ever youth Test match during the 1978–79 season.
1978
⚡
Career
ODI Debut vs England
Made One Day International debut for India at age 21 in Ahmedabad, opening with Sunil Gavaskar.
1981
⚡
Career
World Cup Final Top Scorer
Top scored with 38 runs in the final against West Indies, aiding India’s 1983 World Cup win.
1983
⚡
Career
Fifty and Five Wicket Haul in ODI
Against New Zealand, scored 70 runs and took five wickets, a rare all-round ODI feat.
1988
⚡
Career
Appointed Indian Team Captain
Led India in four Tests and 13 ODIs as captain before retiring in 1992.
1989
🏅
Award
Received C.K. Nayudu Lifetime Achievement Award
Awarded by BCCI recognizing his contributions to Indian cricket.
2019
More moments to come...
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🗝️Discoveries

Swipe to uncover hidden stories
01 / 04
👤PERSONAL

Despite his cricketing fame, Srikkanth originally aimed to be an electrical engineer, completing his degree from the College of Engineering, Guindy before focusing entirely on cricket.

02 / 04
💡SURPRISING

In the 1983 World Cup final dressing room, the team was so tense and cold that manager Man Singh wouldn’t allow the players to move from their positions, reflecting the pressure before India’s historic win.

03 / 04
👤PERSONAL

Srikkanth’s sons, Adityaa and Anirudha, both followed his footsteps into cricket, continuing the family’s involvement in the sport.

“

"The selectors should have convinced him. Had I been there I would have spoken to him and asked him to captain India in England. Bring back the glory days to India’s Test cricket and retire."

— Krishnamachari Srikkanth

🎙️ Speeches & Recordings

These recordings preserve the legacy of Bharat's icons
#CricketDiaries | Ep 1 | Kapil Dev, Madan Lal & Srikkanth | 1983 Lord's‎ | Viu India
More from this archive
#CricketDiaries | Ep 1 | Kapil Dev, Madan Lal & Srikkanth | 1983 Lord's‎ | Viu India
01
#CricketDiaries | Ep 1 | Kapil Dev, Madan Lal & Srikkanth | 1983 Lord's‎ | Viu India
K Srikkanth: The King Of Expressions | India's Blistering Batters | #AllAboutCricket
02
K Srikkanth: The King Of Expressions | India's Blistering Batters | #AllAboutCricket
Former World Cup-winning Team India Star Kris Srikkanth Speaks To Republic World
03
Former World Cup-winning Team India Star Kris Srikkanth Speaks To Republic World
Walk The Talk with Srikkanth
04
Walk The Talk with Srikkanth
When Karachi Turned Chaos: Srikkanth Attacked! | 1989 India–Pakistan Test
05
When Karachi Turned Chaos: Srikkanth Attacked! | 1989 India–Pakistan Test
Srikkanth: Eng played brilliantly.Part 1 of 7
06
Srikkanth: Eng played brilliantly.Part 1 of 7
Cricketer Srikkanth's FUNNY Speech At 1983 World Cup Movie Press Conference | LehrenTV
07
Cricketer Srikkanth's FUNNY Speech At 1983 World Cup Movie Press Conference | LehrenTV
Krishnamachari Srikkanth Ultimate Comedy Speech At 83 First Look Launch | Kamal Haasan | Kapil Dev
08
Krishnamachari Srikkanth Ultimate Comedy Speech At 83 First Look Launch | Kamal Haasan | Kapil Dev
Krishnamachari Srikkanth Speech in 83 Movie Launch | Srikanth | Jiiva | Ranveer Singh | Kapil dev
09
Krishnamachari Srikkanth Speech in 83 Movie Launch | Srikanth | Jiiva | Ranveer Singh | Kapil dev

🌱 What changed because of them

Srikkanth's aggressive opening batting helped redefine India's limited-overs approach in the 1980s, contributing directly to India’s 1983 World Cup win. As chairman of selectors, he played a pivotal role in identifying and nurturing talents like Virat Kohli, influencing team composition during a transformative era. His post-retirement work as a commentator and educator using cricket to teach academic subjects demonstrates his impact beyond the field.

💬 Social Buzz

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