Wankhede curator Sudhir Naik in focus

The former Mumbai skipper has moved on from his spat with Ravi Shastri during the last ODI here and hopes for a high scoring tie when India play New Zealand on Sunday

Curator Sudhir Naik is at the centre of action again as India take on New Zealand in the opening ODI at Wankhede stadium on Sunday. Naik oversees the Mumbai Cricket Association’s (MCA) pitch preparations at all its three venues (Bandra-Kurla Complex, Kadivali and Wankhede stadium). The former Mumbai skipper has been overseeing pitch preparations at Wankhede for three decades. 

Naik made news during the last ODI played at Wankhede due to his complaint against current India coach Ravi Shastri for allegedly abusing him. 

India were taking on South Africa in the deciding fifth one-dayer with series level 2-2 on October 25, 2015. Shastri was then Team Director and was not happy with the pitch after South Africa posted a mammoth 438/4. India eventually lost by 214 runs and the series 2-3.

Shastri, who had first praised the pitch sarcastically, had however denied abusing Naik afterwards. The matter was resolved amicably after then MCA vice-president Dilip Vengsarkar’s intervention for the “good of Mumbai cricket.” 

Sudhir Naik

However, according to people close to Naik, the 72-year-old is still unhappy over the incident but has moved on as it wasn’t the first time he felt such way. 

A request for a turning wicket had come just two days before the match as against usual protocol of 10-12 days, according to Naik’s close aides. This made it impossible, as the wicket was already prepared hard with good binding.

Vengsarkar, who brokered peace was incidentally the captain of India when Naik prepared his first international wicket. “I remember it was a Test against New Zealand (1988) and Vengsarkar was leading the side. Since then I have been preparing the wickets for international games. I took a sabbatical after the 1996 World Cup as I felt no appreciation. But I resumed duty after Sharad Pawar through Vengarkar requested me to comeback as ICC had reprimanded MCA after the Test against Australia (2004) ended inside three days,” he said.

Naik loves to keep things simple and straight and uses local trains to travel from his Dadar residence to Wankhede stadium as  he feels it is convenient for him and less time consuming.

His work was appreciated after India beat Sri Lanka in the ICC World Cup 2011 final here for producing a good true wicket and excellent outfield.

On Sunday’s match, Naik said they haven’t got any advance request from the BCCI and it will be a good batting wicket. “It will be a good batting wicket and may produce a 275 plus score,” he said.

Naik, a right-handed opening batsman, represented India in 3 Tests and 2 ODIs in 1974. For Mumbai (then Bombay) he scored 2,687 runs (Ave 40.10) with a highest score of 200 not out against Baroda in 1973-74.