Former India and Karnataka paceman Dodda Ganesh, the first quick bowler from the State to take 300 first-class wickets, announced his retirement from active cricket at a simple but emotional do on Saturday evening.
The 33-year-old, who hasn’t played for the State since late 2005, finally called time on a career that will forever be remembered for the never-say-die attitude and tremendous determination he brought with him every time he stepped on to the cricket field.
All the encomiums heaped on him by past masters Gundappa Viswanath and Brijesh Patel, India’s bowling coach Venkatesh Prasad and leg-spinning legend Anil Kumble were no more than Ganesh deserved. Statistics will not necessarily convey the part he played in charting Karnataka’s path to ultimate success in the Ranji Trophy on more than one occasion in the second half of the 90s, though 365 wickets from 104 matches at 29.42 is a good enough indication.
Ganesh was effusive in thanking the various individuals responsible for shaping his career, though he had a special word for B Raghunath, who oversaw Karnataka’s most successful Ranji Trophy run in recent times.
“He was an excellent manager who never played any politics,” Ganesh observed, then went on to add, “But the only man who I was more afraid of than my parents was Anil Kumble. He was the one I looked up to for everything. Without him, I would be nothing today. He is like a big brother to me, much like Javagal Srinath.”
The right-arm paceman played just four Tests and a solitary one-day international, obviously without too much success.
“Playing for Karnataka itself was like playing for India, we had so many stars in the side. Why would I then aspire to play for India?” he said, half in jest, then added that the greatest regret of his life was taking five-for against South Africa for the Board President’s XI in 1996.
“Because of that, I was selected to tour South Africa,” he said. “Suddenly, I was staying in five-star hotels, travelling by air. Everything happened too fast. In fact, on my debut in Cape Town, the umpire said ‘lunch’ and I was taken aback because I didn’t even realise it was lunchtime!”

Unlucky
Kumble wasn’t alone in saying that he felt Ganesh had been unlucky in not making a comeback to international cricket. “I think he was a bit raw when he made his debut, but after being dropped, his domestic performance was exceptional in both forms of the game,” said India’s highest wicket-taker. “I am sure if he had come back, he would have played a lot more international cricket.
“In the late 90s, when we were all away playing international cricket, Ganesh held the bowling attack together, he was a single force. All credit to him. It is never easy to leave a sport that you have played for so many years. His best quality was his fighting spirit. I was captain when we had Srinath, Prasad, David Johnson and Ganesh in the State eleven, it was a captain’s dream. Ganesh never thought just about himself but he was a committed team man.
“He loved to bowl long spells, and that is a rare quality for a pace bowler, especially on Indian tracks.”
Prasad added, “It was a great pleasure to to have played with Ganesh. No matter what the situation of the game was, his attitude remained the same, he always took responsibility and delivered when the team required him to. His greatest asset was his never-say-die attitude. Thank you for your contribution to Karnataka cricket and to the country.”
KSCA secretary Patel said Ganesh’s contribution to Karnataka cricket had been immense, while vice-president Viswanath pointed out, “He gave a hundred percent for whoever he played, and at any level. I think the national selectors were unfair to him in that they didn’t allow him to come back to the national side.”
V Jagannath called him a ‘great servant of Karnataka cricket,’ while fellow vice-president Ramadhyani also wished him all success in his retired life, even as everyone made oblique references to the possibility of Ganesh dabbling in politics too.