Abey Kuruvilla: 10 facts about the former India fast bowler

The tall Kuruvilla was picked for India after years of toil in domestic cricket, where he had made a mark for Mumbai.

Abey Kuruvilla, born on August 8, 1968, was a fast bowler who represented India in 10 Tests and 25 One-Day Internationals (ODIs). The tall Kuruvilla was picked for India after years of toil in domestic cricket, where he had made a mark for Mumbai. Nishad Pai Vaidya picks 10 facts about the towering fast bowler.

 

1.  Kerala origins

Kuruvilla is one of the few Test cricketers to emerge from Kerala. He was born in Kerala but has lived for most of his life in Mumbai, where he learnt the art of fast bowling. S Sreesanth and Tinu Yohannan are the only Kerala-bred players who have represented India.

 

 

2.  Degree

In a chat with ESPNCricinfo in the late 1990s, Kuruvilla revealed that he was pursuing a degree in science in Mumbai. However, his Bachelor of Science degree remained incomplete due to cricketing commitments.

 

 

3.  Gentle giant

Kuruvilla is a towering figure at 6’5’’, but is very gentle and quiet in nature. His quiet demeanour didn’t go with his imposing figure of a fast bowler.

 

 

4.  Stumbling into cricket

As a youngster, cricket wasn’t a priority for Kuruvilla. However, in his early 20s, he tried out for the University team and had done well to impress the selectors. That was the start of things to come as he then made it into the BCA-Mafatlal Fast Bowling Scheme, where Frank Tyson guided young fast bowlers.

 

 

5.  Debut in epic Ranji final

Kuruvilla rose through the ranks quite quickly and found himself making his debut in the Ranji Trophy 1990-91 final against Haryana at the Wankhede Stadium. Though he started well to pick up four wickets in the first innings, the match ended in agony for the Bombay side. Chasing 355 to win, Bombay were being led by Dilip Vengsarkar’s brilliant century. At 305 for nine, they had their backs to the wall but Vengsarkar held on with the debutant Kuruvilla. However, three runs shy of the total, there was a miscommunication, which led to Kuruvilla’s run-out. Haryana clinched the title by two runs. The Bombay dressing room was funereal. The picture of Vengsarkar leaving the field in tears remains one of the most painful images in Mumbai cricket’s history.

 

 

6.  Remarkable second season

Kuruvilla held his spot in the Bombay side for the 1991-92 season and picked 51 wickets at 22.70. There was a clamour to pick the young paceman as he generated good speed to trouble the batsmen. But he was ignored. On retirement, Kuruvilla admitted that he was expecting a selection for the South Africa tour later that year. “I bowled very well in my first full season. I don’t have any regrets. At least I got a chance to play for India. There were so many good players who have not even played one match for India,” he was quoted in The Hindu.

 

 

7.  A call-up at last

In 1997, Kuruvilla was finally picked for the Indian team to tour West Indies. He made his Test debut at Jamaica and then shined in the Barbados Test, where his spell of five for 68 bundled West Indies out for only 140. However, India were shot out for 81 in their pursuit of a paltry 120. Kuruvilla went on to play 10 Tests and 25 One-Day Internationals (ODIs), all in the year 1997.

 

 

8.  Signing off on a high

Kuruvilla retired at the relatively young age of 31 and chose the Ranji Trophy 1999-2000 final against Hyderabad as his swansong. Mumbai won the Ranji Trophy to make is a momentous occasion for Kuruvilla. He went on to play some league cricket in England and has appeared in a few matches for the Dr DY Patil Sports Academy since then.

 

 

9.  Sports Director

Post retirement, Kuruvilla has been one of the leading figures at the Dr DY Patil Sports Academy in Navi Mumbai. He is the Sports Director at the institution and was also at the helm when the Dr DY Patil Sports Stadium was prepared for the Indian Premier League (IPL) in 2008.

 

10.  Selector

In 2011-12, Kuruvilla was the chief of India’s junior selection committee. During his tenure, Unmukt Chand’s boys had won the ICC Under-19 World Cup 2012. Later, Kuruvilla also served as the chairman of Mumbai’s selectors.

 

(Nishad Pai Vaidya is a Mumbai-based cricket journalist and one of the youngest to cover the three major cricketing events — ICC World Cup, World T20 and under-19 World Cup. He tweets as @nishad_45)

 

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