Sadanand Viswanath

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Sadanand Viswanath
India
Personal information
Batting style	Right-hand bat
Bowling style	-
Career statistics
	Tests	ODIs
Matches	3	22
Runs scored	31	72
Batting average	6.20	9.00
100s/50s	-/-	-/-
Top score	20	23*
Balls bowled	-	-
Wickets	-	-
Bowling average	-	-
5 wickets in innings	-	-
10 wickets in match	-	n/a
Best bowling	-	-
Catches/stumpings	11/-	17/7
As of 4 February 2006 Source: [1]

Sadanand Viswanath (Kannada:ಸದಾನಂದ ವಿಶ್ವನಾಥ್‌) pronunciation (help·info) (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 as fiery wicketkeeper, was noticed by all.Sunil Gavaskar commented in his book 'One-Day Wonders', “People will talk about many reasons why we won the World Championship of Cricket in 1985. One of the 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.”

He could not handle the pressure fame thrust upon him and resorted to drinking which hastened the end of his career. The death of his parents within a short span of time also had a demoralising affect on India's newfound ace. Vishwanath was not able to fulfil the expectations placed upon him, and was replaced as wicketkeeper by Kiran More and Chandrakant Pandit.

He now runs his private cricket coaching academy for young boys in Bangalore and also follows the game closely as an umpire.