Picking up the pieces

The turn of the century coincided with a purple patch for Tamil Nadu cricket. It was a period when a number of players from the state were knocking on the doors of the Indian team, most of them trying to break into the near-impenetrable middle order.

The hunt for a quality Test opener seemed to have ended in 1999 when Sadagoppan Ramesh burst on to the scene. There was Sridharan Sriram, relentlessly pounding attacks at not only the domestic level but also against touring international sides. Sridharan Sharath was the go-to man for every crisis and Hemang Badani - probably the most proficient stroke-maker of the lot - broke into the Indian ODI squad.

Medium-pacer T Kumaran was selected for the tour of Australia in 1999-00 and there was talk of wicketkeeper Reuben Paul joining the one-day squad as well. A few years later, L Balaji sent stumps flying and warmed hearts across the border in Pakistan.

Though the team wasn't grabbing trophies, they were always strong contenders. Reaching the Ranji Trophy finals in consecutive years (2002-03 and 2003-04) took them a few feet from the summit, though they seemed to not have a way to upstage domestic giants Mumbai. However the glory all seemed so short-lived and the core of the side doesn't even exist today.

Few players have migrated to other states while others defected to the recently launched Indian Cricket League (ICL). Things came to such a pass that Tamil Nadu nearly suffered the ignominy of relegation last season.

In the background is WV Raman, one season old as the team's coach. A former India batsman, Raman was best known for his languorous drives through the off side. Overseeing Tamil Nadu's preparations ahead of an eagerly-awaited encounter with Mumbai, Raman stretches backwards and looks out into the tranquil surroundings of the Guru Nanak College Ground in Chennai.

"It's all a state of mind, taking charge of such a young side," Raman told Cricinfo. "It's only natural to ask yourself, 'Well what have I got here?' With a young side, the only way is up. As a coach it gives you immense satisfaction to know that you have contributed in improving an individual's game and the performance of the team in general. Quite a few positives came out in the last season despite the team's ranking. The team is in a transition phase and it takes time to rebound."

The timing of Raman's appointment could bode well for the team. Survivors of the exodus, like captain S Badrinath would have sensed a big change in the dressing-room environment with several fresh faces hopping in. Raman, though, has mainly overseen a team of youngsters.

"Most of them had already left for other states by the time I joined so I can't really say if there were any drastic changes in the dressing-room environment," Raman says. "A few of them did call me after signing up [for the ICL], saying that they joined for personal reasons. We have to respect that as one cannot intrude into one's personal decision."

The vaccum at the top presents an opportunity for the talent pool to get some exposure. "We need to harness it at the junior level - especially at the Under-15 level. They need to be made harder and tougher at that age and I honestly feel that is lacking at the moment. There is a bit of a soft upbringing in terms of the cricket. That has to change for Tamil Nadu to become a force."