MSK is Andhra's MSD

Guntur: Cricket enthusiasts and young players were on cloud nine when local lad Mannava Srikanth Prasad was made Indian cricket team's new chief selector on Wednesday. Prasad, fondly called MSK here, is the first player from both Telugu states to become the chief selector.

"It is a red letter day in the history of Andhra cricket. We are pround of Prasad sir as it is no mean achievement to become chairman of the national selection committee. He is like M S Dhoni to us," said young Akash Chintala, practising in the nets at

JKC College

grounds here. Braving incessant drizzle, players like Akash rushed to the grounds to soak in the moment.

Born in a middle class family in Medikonduru village near Guntur, Prasad completed schooling from Loyola Public School at Nallapadu and graduation from Hindu College in Guntur. "Prasad is a symbol of hard work. He used to walk all the way from the college to the ground and attend practice sessions. His father Hariprasad was a lower division clerk in Agmark, a central government organization," recalled Sairam, a senior to Prasad in Andhra Ranji team. Players at some of the grounds cut cakes and burst crackers to celebrate the appointment.

Andhra Cricket Association (ACA) office-bearers were elated. "He did justice to his role of director (operations) in ACA. He physically visited almost all the grounds managed by ACA in the last six months," said a senior ACA official.

He joined as national selector last year following the resignation of Roger Binny to fill the south quota. Lady luck knocked on Prasad's door again when BCCI made him chairman of the selection board. "He has been meticulous all through his life. His dedication to the sports has helped him rise to the top position," said Gokaraju Gangaraju, secretary of ACA and BCCI's vice-president.

ACA officials assert that Prasad's efforts to develop the game is paying the dividends. All the academies set up by Prasad started yielding results as Sneha Deepthi and Kalpana are now representing the Indian women's cricket team. "He has proved that anything can be achieved with perfect planning and execution. We congratulate Prasad," said D V S S Somayajulu, president, ACA.


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