V.K. Sanju
Kochi Tuskers Kerala graced the 2011 IPL season grand stage only to vanish just after that. Like a fleeting melody, the team’s existence was ephemeral and Kerala's IPL dreams were tragically shattered after that season. Here’s the Playing XI from Kochi Tuskers' last match in the 2011 season, a lineup that will forever be etched in the hearts of cricket fans as a symbol of unrealized potential.
1. Brendon McCullum
New Zealand's legendary wicket-keeper and aggressive batsman who introduced Bazball to the world of Test cricket as coach. In the inaugural season of the IPL, McCullum’s bat was on fire and in the 13 matches he played for Kochi Tuskers Kerala, he top-scored with 357 runs, including a high of 81. Snapped up for a hefty Rs 2.18 crore, McCullum remained a fixture in the IPL even after the premature demise of Kochi Tuskers. But in 2019, the market turned its back on him – no bids, no calls.
2. Parthiv Patel
The wicketkeeper-batsman, Parthiv Patel, who has represented India and Gujarat, played in all the 14 matches for the Tuskers, notching up 202 runs, averaging 20 with the bat. He captained the team in their final match. From 2011 onwards, Parthiv’s IPL odyssey took him to four different teams. He transitioned to the world of commentary.
3. Y Gyaneswar Rao
Gyaneshwara Rao was a part of the illustrious India Under-19 squad alongside luminaries like Suresh Raina, Irfan Pathan,and Ambati Rayudu. His stint with the Kochi Tuskers Kerala was fleeting, batting once in the two games he played to score 19 runs, and bowling an over that conceded seven runs, with no wickets. That was also his only stint with IPL. In a similar vein, his first-class career, playing for Andhra Pradesh also reached its conclusion in 2011.
4. Brad Hodge
The Australian all-rounder, widely regarded at the time as one of the finest Twenty20 batsmen in the world, played 14 matches for Tuskers, amassed 285 runs and claimed seven wickets. His standout moment was against Rajasthan Royals, claiming four wickets for just 13 runs. He continued his IPL appearance till 2014, where he played for Rajasthan Royals. After retiring from cricket in 2018 due to health concerns, Hodge took up the role of coach with Kings XI Punjab, but was sacked before the season even began. Hodge continued coaching back in his home country.
5. Ravindra Jadeja
Ravindra Jadeja was snapped up for Rs 4.37 crore and was one of the four players who featured in all 14 matches. He amassed 283 runs at an impressive average of 31, with a top score of 47. With the ball, he claimed eight wickets. He evolved into a linchpin of the Indian national team and holds the distinction of being the highest-paid player retained for the Chennai Super Kings now.
6. Owais Shah
England’s middle-order batsman played just three matches for Tuskers scoring 26 runs, with a highest score of 23. He then moved to the Rajasthan Royals and was with them till 2013. He was considered for the role of head coach for the Indian women’s cricket team, but the appointment eluded him.
7. Kedar Yadav
Kedar Jadhav’s Tuskers’ stint was before his donning the Indian jersey and making his mark in the IPL. Joining the Tuskers as a backup wicketkeeper, Jadhav featured in just six matches and scored a total 18 runs. He later became a prominent figure in the IPL and the country. Today, Jadhav continues to play for Maharashtra.
8. R Vinay Kumar
The Karnataka pace bowler, described as a giant in the domestic circuit, played 13 matches for Kochi and took only four wickets of which three were in a single match against Deccan Chargers. He then went on to play for RCB, KKR and Mumbai Indians, made it to the Indian team but could not retain his place.
9. RP Singh
RP Singh, the left-arm pace sensation from Uttar Pradesh, once hailed as the “Next Big Thing” in Indian cricket, had a rhythmic bowling action and the ability to clock over 140 kmph. A hero of India’s victorious 2007 T20 World Cup campaign, he earned the Purple Cap in the 2009 IPL season. During his 2011 stint with Tuskers, he picked up 13 wickets in 14 matches. Post-Kochi, he donned the jerseys of three other IPL teams, and by the age of 31 bid farewell to even domestic cricket.
10. S Sreesanth
The fiery pacer was the undisputed face of Kochi Tuskers Kerala though the squad included fellow Keralites like the promising fast bowler Prasanth Parameswaran and the versatile seam-bowling all-rounder Raiphi Vincent Gomes. Bought for Rs 1.14 crore, Sreesanth played nine matches and managed to pick up seven wickets. His IPL journey extended to stints at Kings XI Punjab and Rajasthan Royals. He was a key member of the squads that clinched the 2007 T20 World Cup and the 2011 ODI World Cup.
11. Muttiah Muralitharan
Muttiah Muralitharan retired from international cricket after Sri Lanka's loss to India in the 2011 ODI World Cup final. Following three successful years with Chennai Super Kings in the IPL, he joined Kochi Tuskers Kerala but managed only two wickets in five matches. He later played for Royal Challengers Bangalore for three seasons before retiring from all formats of cricket.
Other prominent personalities
VVS Laxman: The "very very special" VVS Laxman, known for his elegance in Test cricket, made a brief appearance for Kochi Tuskers Kerala as an opener in the IPL. Playing three matches, he scored a total of 44 runs, with his highest being 36 against Royal Challengers Bangalore. His stint reaffirmed that the fast-paced T20 format was not suited to his classical style of play.
Mahela Jayawardene: The captain of Kochi Tuskers Kerala, he batted in the opening and middle order and scored 299 runs with three half-centuries.
Other Malayalis
Raiphi Vincent Gomes: A seam-bowling all-rounder who was part of the Indian U-19 team. He amassed just 46 runs in 10 matches, the highest being 26 not out and bagged four wickets. He was also a member of Rajasthan Royals and Pune Warriors.
Prasanth Parameswaran: Left-arm fast bowler took the wicket of Virender Sehwag in his IPL debut over and was Man of the Match after taking two wickets for 29 runs. Against KKR, he did not get a wicket but conceded just 21 runs in his quota of four overs. However, in the match against RCB, Chris Gayle scored 37 runs in a single over of his. He played just one more match and the curtains were down.
P Prasanth: Left-arm spinner and lower-order hitter, he found a place in the playing XI just once and conceded 18 runs in an over. He did not get a chance to bat.
The Priyadarshan-directed promotional video had the charm of actor Rima Kallingal. Thiru was the cinematographer Ousepachan composed the team’s anthem.
Full Squad
B Akhil, Brad Hodge, Brendon McCullum, Chandan Madan, Deepak Chougule, John Hastings, Kedar Yadav, Michael Klinger, Muttiah Muralitharan, Owais Shah, Parthiv Patel, P Prashanth, Prasanth Parameswaran, Raiphi Vincent Gomes, Ramesh Powar, Ravindra Jadeja, RP Singh, S Sreesanth, Steve O'Keefe, Steven Smith, Sushant Marathe, Tanmay Srivastava, Thisara Perera, Vinay Kumar, VVS Lakshman, Y Gyaneshwar Rao and Yashpal Singh.