KOCHI: Former cricketer M Suresh Kumar, 47, popularly known as Umbri among friends and the cricketing fraternity, was found dead at his residence in Alappuzha on Friday. Police said his family members saw his body hanging from the ceiling of his house at Pazhaveedu around 7.30pm. Though medical staff from a nearby clinic rushed to the spot, his life could not be saved. Later, his body was shifted to government hospital for autopsy. Suresh Kumar is survived by wife Manju and son Athul. Police have launched a probe into the incident.
K Sanal Kumar, former secretary of the Alappuzha Cricket Association, who had also been an official of the Kerala Cricket Association, expressed shock at the untimely death of Umbri. It was in a club formed by K Sanal Kumar that Suresh started his innings in cricket and later went on to become the first Malayali to make it to national team’s youth side.
“I am shocked. He is no more. He was a talented player,” he said.
Suresh was working in Southern Railway. As an ESPN Cricinfo rated left-arm spinner, Suresh had played 72 first-class games (1991-99), taking 196 wickets at an average of 27.77 and 1,657 runs at 19.49 average, with 101 not out being his highest personal score.
Known for his unique ‘flippers’, he rose to fame for his agility as a fielder from the age of 13 and by taking fielding to the level of South African legend Jonty Rhodes in domestic cricket. An analysis of Suresh’s career would reveal that he was unlucky not to have made it to Team India. Indian players of his era like Rahul Dravid were all praise of him. He was also instrumental in Kerala’s victory against a star-studded Tamil Nadu for the first time in history in a Ranji outing in the early 90s. Suresh had scalped six wickets in both the innings which included the prize scalps of W V Raman and Robin Singh.
He started off as an U-15 state player in 1986-89 and then climbed up the ladder to become the U-17 captain in 1987-89 and U-19 player in 1988-92. He had skippered the Kerala U-19 side during 1990-92.
Suresh played for the India U-19 side in 1991-92 against New Zealand. He was a regular in Ranji Trophy, having represented both Kerala and the Railways from 1991 to 99.