OTD WV Raman was born in 1965

On May 23, 1965 former Indian cricketer and coach WV Raman was born in Madras (now Chennai), India. A stylish left-handed batter and handy slow left-arm spinner, Raman primarily featured as an opening batter and went on to enjoy a distinguished domestic career along with memorable contributions to Indian cricket as both a player and coach.

Raman made his Test debut for India against the West Indies cricket team in Chennai during the 1987-88 season. He represented India in 11 Tests and 27 ODIs between 1987 and 1997. Although his international numbers did not fully reflect his immense talent, Raman remained a technically sound batter capable of playing long innings under difficult conditions.

One of the major factors affecting Raman’s international career was India’s demanding overseas schedule during that era. Between November 1988 and December 1992, India played 25 Test matches, but only one of them was held at home. The absence of regular India ‘A’ tours and limited opportunities to adapt to foreign conditions impacted several players of that generation, with Raman being one among them.

Interestingly, Raman began his cricketing journey as a left-arm spinner before transforming himself into a dependable batter. His success in domestic cricket was remarkable, as he scored three double centuries in First-Class cricket and established himself as one of Tamil Nadu’s finest batters. During the 1988-89 Ranji Trophy season, he amassed 1,018 runs, breaking the long-standing record of Rusi Modi that had stood since 1944-45.

Raman was also a member of the Indian squad that won the 1990-91 Asia Cup. Despite limited opportunities at the highest level, he remained highly respected in domestic cricket circles for his consistency and temperament. In 132 First-Class matches, he scored 7,939 runs and also picked up 85 wickets, highlighting his all-round capabilities.

After being dropped from the Tamil Nadu cricket team, Raman retired from all forms of cricket in 1999. Apart from his Indian domestic exploits, he also enjoyed success overseas while playing for Kirkcaldy Cricket Club in Scotland during the summer of 1989.

Following retirement, Raman seamlessly transitioned into coaching. He was appointed coach of Tamil Nadu in 2006 and guided the side to victory in the 2008-09 domestic one-day tournament. His coaching credentials soon attracted attention from other state associations, and in 2010 he became the head coach of the Bengal cricket team, replacing Roger Binny.

Raman also worked extensively in the IPL setup. In 2013, he was named assistant coach of Punjab Kings, then known as Kings XI Punjab (Currently known as Punjab Kings). A year later, he joined Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) as batting coach, helping the franchise win the IPL title in 2014.

In 2015, the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) appointed him batting coach at the National Cricket Academy (NCA) in Bengaluru. His coaching journey reached another milestone in December 2018 when he became head coach of the India women’s national cricket team, a role he held until May 2021.

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