Venkat is best known today as the umpire with the idiosyncratic way of giving batsmen out - right arm held out to his side, elbow bent at 90 degrees, index finger raised almost apologetically, and gentle nod of the head.

In his playing day, however, he was a more than useful off-spinner whose 57 Test matches spanned twenty years.

Slight of build and orthodox in approach, he could run through a side on the right surface, but otherwise relied on sustained accuracy.

As early as his fourth appearance, in 1964, he took 12 for 152 against New Zealand in Delhi and, in all first-class cricket, he managed five or more wickets in an innings 85 times.

He almost achieved greatness when, as captain, he called for a "positive attitude" from his team who faced near-certain defeat at Edgbaston in 1979.

Chasing 438 to win in the fourth innings, India finished nine runs short.