Amidst the raging tempest of nepotism in Bollywood where fans have been staging vehement and persistent protests against the moguls of the industry after the untimely demise of Sushant Singh Rajput, we wanted to bring you a few similar names across the cricketing roster.
Not every star kid deserved a shot at stardom and their failed career validated the fact that lineage in cricket won’t really get you far. It can push you to the gates, but to cross the line you will need more than your dad’s legacy. We are going to take a look at four father-son pairs where the former was an absolute genius of the game while his scion hasn’t even been close.
1. Sunil Gavaskar and Rohan Gavaskar
The little master of Indian cricket was the former yardstick of brilliance unless Sachin Tendulkar took over the mantle. The first Test batsman to notch up 10,000 runs, Gavaskar loved to take the bowlers head-on with an extremely belligerent approach.
Master of 34 Test centuries, Gavaskar was also a rock solid opener who weathered the new ball storm from towering fast bowlers with extreme fearlessness.
His son, however, couldn’t even come close to his dad, despite signs of initial promise.
Known for his first class exploits where he went on to spearhead Bengal’s batting in one of the most glamorous phases of the state, Gavaskar was a batting all-rounder.
Making his debut against the mighty Australians, he soon found himself in cross-hairs of the captain. The only lasting impression left by Gavaskar was that of a stunning catch in his own bowling against Australia.
His batting flair was woeful to say the least while his bowling won him a few plaudits but that isn’t enough to show the might exhibited by his father in the international circuit.
2. Roger Binny and Stuart Binny
West Indies was already wobbling at 66 for 4 and their solitary hope was none other than their skipper, Sir Clive Lloyd.
Roger Binny was introduced to the attack and the crowds erupted into a volcanic frenzy as Binny removed Lloyd with a brilliant slow delivery, therefore almost snuffing out all hopes of a West Indies resurgence and etching his illustrious name in the folklore of Indian cricket, winning the 1983 World Cup final.
His son, Stuart Binny showed a lot of potential before being introduced to international cricket but he was just another myth busted by the extremely challenging conditions of the game.
Making his debut against New Zealand, Binny left an indelible mark with his stunning performance against Bangladesh, conjuring magical figures of 6 wickets for 4 runs, bettering Kumble’s record of the best individual bowling in an innings by an Indian.
Stuart Binny was a supposed all-rounder but never in his life did he successfully manage to bowl and bat well in the same game. Though his performances were limited to a handful, yet the opportunities which he was awarded with didn’t really beget much of a higher class from Binny Junior.
3. Vijay Manjrekar and Sanjay Manjrekar
Vijay Manjrekar was one of the finest Test cricketers to have ever graced India. With 3208 runs from 55 appearances, Vijay Manjrekar chronicled 7 centuries and 15 half centuries which featured a career best of an unbeaten 189.
Not only did Vijay Manjrekar bat but he occasionally bowled too but that yielded little results for the experienced campaigner.
His son, Sanjay Manjrekar, definitely played a lot more than he did but his numbers weren’t as promising as his father. From 37 matches, he could only amass 2043 runs and in 74 ODI’s he couldn’t even cross the 2000 run mark.
With his career spanning for a remarkable 9 years, the numbers are just too modest for the young Manjrekar who has now successfuly resorted to analysis and commentary.
4. Krishnamachari Srikanth and Anirudh Srikant
Known to the current generation as one of India’s best analyst and commentator, Krish Srikant was a great batsman in both the formats of the game that he was a part of.
Garnering 2062 Test runs from a paltry 43 games and 4091 runs from 146 ODI’s, Srikanth played a pivotal role in helping India to glide out of multiple tough situations.
His Test bowling also showcased a five-wicket haul which left his oppositions rattled.
Despite being a significant moniker in the domestic circuit, Anirudh Srikant never really caught the eye of the selectors for the national call up. Every single time there was a downright hope of the youngster breaking into the national ranks, his performance graph flattened out.
The youngster however, has led Chennai with his own sweet cameos in several IPL games.
