India, Aug. 29 -- A Ranji Trophy season with 1,280 runs at an average of 106.66 would ordinarily have been enough to define a domestic career. Four centuries, seven fifties and a record for the most runs in a single edition of the tournament at the time made it almost impossible for the national selectors to look elsewhere. Yet the batting numbers told only half the story.

When Karnataka reached the final against Madhya Pradesh, their leading run-scorer produced 86 in the first innings and another 75 in the second. Then, with the title slipping away on the final afternoon, he turned to his off-spin and took 6/24 to bowl Madhya Pradesh out for 150. Karnataka won by 96 runs. A season overflowing with runs had ended with their premier batte...