Shiva Kumar Unsung hero of Ranji Trophy 2014-15
As the domestic season of Indian Cricket is about to start on October 1st let’s review the few things about the top performers of the last season who are not in news even after solid performances. Shiva Kumar the bowling allrounder from Andhra Pradesh, is one among them. He has done lot in the last season of the Ranji Torphy only to be ignored by the IPL franchises during the player auction while the other top performers in the bowling division are noticed and bought by the franchises. If we have a look at the Bowler statistics from last season Shiva Kumar has done no less than the other top performers. Although he lies at 3 place in the highest wicket takers list he has the best average and strike rate picking 44 wickets at 14.25 average. Hence Shiva Kumar is unsung hero of Ranji Trophy 2014-2015.
The following table consists of the list of top five wicket takers in the last Ranji Trophy Season 2014-2015 :
Name |
Team |
Matches |
Innings |
Wickets |
Average |
BBI |
BBM |
5/i |
10/m |
| Vinay Kumar | Karnataka | 10 | 19 | 48 | 18.72 | 6/20 | 9/90 | 3 | 0 |
| Shardul Thakur | Mumbai | 10 | 18 | 48 | 20.81 | 6/53 | 9/123 | 5 | 0 |
| Siva Kumar | Andhra | 9 | 15 | 44 | 14.25 | 7/30 | 12/120 | 4 | 2 |
| Sreenath Aravind | Karnataka | 10 | 19 | 42 | 17.42 | 4/9 | 8/61 | 0 | 0 |
| Rishi Dhawan | Himachal Pradesh | 8 | 13 | 40 | 24.75 | 7/93 | 11/185 | 4 | 1 |
Shiva Kumar who has played just 15 matches in the season is only 4 wickets behind the highest wicket takers Shradul Thakur and Vinay Kumar both of whom are selected by IPL franchises. Shradul Thakur has attracted Kings Eleven Punjab while the experienced seamer and Record breaking captain of Karnataka Vinay Kumar has attracted the likes of Ricky Ponting, Sachin Tendulkar to be in the team captained by Rohit Sharma who also ended up as the victorious side in the 2015 season Mumbai Indians. But even with his allround abilities Shiva Kumar could not get some bidders for him during the last IPL auction.
Shiva Kumar Unsung hero of Ranji Trophy 2014-15 :
Andhra Pradesh Ranji team had a great year in the Domestic Season as they have entered the Plate division and did everything to reach into the knockouts only to loose to the young Mumbai team in the first match of the knockouts. Although his team has fallen of the race for the Title, Shiva Kumar has already shown his abilities by then picking up 44 wickets in just 15 innings and 9 matches at a stunning Strike Rate of 37.7 and average of 14.25 he has also contributed with the bat at the lower end of the Andhra line up scoring 1 half century and amassing 160 runs. Shiva Kumar is also the only medium pacer to pick two ten wicket hauls in the season, and he is just one less in the highest 5 wicket hauls list behind the eventual highest wicket taker Shradul Thakur. It is just unfortunate that he could not get into any IPL team last season. But if he can continue the same good form he will draw some eyes balls towards him for the next auction which is just after the knock out matches of the Ranji Trophy 2015-2016 in February.
With such astonishing figures and alround abilities Shiva Kumar is the unsung hero of the Ranji Trophy 2014 – 2015. And he is the most valuble player of the season for the Andhra Pradesh Ranji team. Shiva Kumar would rearing to go in this season too, with their first match scheduled to start on 1st of October against a strong and spirited Mumbai team on their home turf.
Its really true about this experienced cricketer and I wish the management opens up its eyes to check for this kind of promising cricketer who is hungry to get into the Indian team. All the best shiva kumar. please keep working hard and dont loose your positive hopes.