Sadanand Viswanath

Infobox Cricketer

---

nationality = Indian
country = India
country abbrev = IND
name = Sadanand Viswanath
picture = Cricket_no_pic.pngbatting style = Right-hand bat
bowling style = -
balls = true
tests = 3
test runs = 31
test bat avg = 6.20
test 100s/50s = -/-
test top score = 20
test overs = -
test wickets = -
test bowl avg = -
test 5s = -
test 10s = -
test best bowling = -
test catches/stumpings = 11/-
ODIs = 22
ODI runs = 72
ODI bat avg = 9.00
ODI 100s/50s = -/-
ODI top score = 23*
ODI overs = -
ODI wickets = -
ODI bowl avg = -
ODI 5s = -
ODI 10s = -
ODI best bowling = -
ODI catches/stumpings = 17/7
date = 4 February
year = 2006
source = http://content-aus.cricinfo.com/ci/content/player/35713.html

Sadanand Viswanath (Kannada:ಸದಾನಂದ ವಿಶ್ವನಾಥ್‌) audio|Sadanand_Vishwanath.ogg|pronunciation (born November 29, 1962, Bangalore, Karnataka) is a former Indian cricketer who played in 3 Tests and 22 ODIs, from 1985 to 1988. Currently, he is a first class umpire and coach.

Vishy gained recognition during the height of India's ascendancy in world cricket in the mid '80s. He was first selected in the Indian team which won the World Championship of Cricket tournament in Australia and the Rothmans Cup in Sharjah days later, in 1985. The thumping triumphs, where India did not lose a single match, validated its claim as the world's best ODI team. People had started to believe in the qualities of a team they earlier thought had won the 1983 World Cup by fluke.

An aggressive wicketkeeper-batsman, Vishwanath is remembered for a hard six he hit out of Bangalore's Chinnaswamy stadium against Allan Border’s Australians. Border commented later, “The ball probably had ice on it when it came down!”

Vishwanath’s stint in international cricket was brief but the fiery wicketkeeper was noticed by all.Sunil Gavaskar commented in his book 'One-Day Wonders', “People will talk about many other reasons how we won the World Championship of Cricket in 1985 but of the main reasons was the presence of Sadanand Vishwanath behind the stumps.” The Australian media too had written that “ this good-looking wicket-keeper may be on his way to becoming India’s best ever.”

India's poster boy was not to fire fully in the late '80s. The death of his parents within a short span of time had a demoralising effect. Vishwanath was not able to fulfil the expectations placed upon him, and was replaced as wicketkeeper by Kiran More and Chandrakant Pandit. The legacy of this firebrand cricketer remains though.

He now runs his private cricket coaching academy for young boys in Bangalore and also follows the game closely as an umpire in India's domestic championship for the Ranji Trophy. Recently, he was promoted to the Elite Panel of Indian umpires which makes him eligible to umpire the upper tier, that is, the zonal matches played for the Duleep and Deodhar Trophies.