S Badrinath to take a year off from first-class cricket

07/17/2017

Subramaniam Badrinath has decided to keep himself away from first-class cricket for a year citing spending time with family and taking a break from the exhausting schedule as his reasons. Badrinath, who led the Hyderabad team in the last Ranji season, clarified that he isn't retiring from the sport.

Domestic cricket batting veteran Subramaniam Badrinath has decided to take some time off from first-class cricket while announcing that he will be playing in the upcoming Tamil Nadu Premier League.

"I did get some offers. But I haven't taken it up as of now. I don't think I will be playing the domestic season this year. I'm going to play TNPL. I'm taking one thing at a time. But I'm not announcing retirement. I will decide a bit later," Badrinath told TOI.

"At this stage of my career, I know I don't have a chance to play international cricket again. I also had a tennis elbow injury last year and took steroid injection to complete the season. I have all these in mind."

Subramaniam Badrinath well-known in the Indian domestic cricketing circuit and has played for Tamil Nadu and Vidharba before leading Hyderabad last season. The batting veteran has scored 10245 runs at an average of 54.49 which includes 32 centuries and 45 half centuries in first class cricket since making his debut in 2000-2001 Ranji Trophy edition. The 36-year old has featured in the Indian side for two Tests, seven ODIs and one T20I and has also been a part of the Indian Premier League with the Chennai Super Kings.

The 36-year old will be captaining Karaikudi Kaalai in the TNPL and stated the team is looking confident heading into the T20 tournament.

"The guys are looking confident. Many of our guys are in good form and they have been doing well in the first division. Last year, we missed out on the top four by run-rate margin. It's a short tournament. The important thing is to start well and keep the momentum going. That will be key," added Badrinath

The second season of the TNPL is set to kick off on July 22 and has been in headlines as the Tamil Nadu Cricket Association is trying to rope in outstation players in the league. However, BCCI seems hesitant in letting the TNCA to include outstation players in the league.

Badrinath, however, believes that the inclusion of outstation players in the league would have improved the quality of the tournament while adding that their presence wasn't needed in the tournament.

"There are two sides to it. If outstation players come and play the tournament, the quality of the tournament will improve, which ultimately benefits the players who are playing. At the end of the day more players from TN are going to be involved. If you see, last year people who we didn't know earlier (such as Natarajan) played in the IPL.

"If outstation players come, the standard will improve, but if you ask whether outstation players are needed, then I would say no," he added.