Chetan Chauhan (1947-2020): a rare combination

He ducked but the bumper did not rise as expected. The ball struck him on the jaw. Hospitalized with a compound fracture, the army man’s son pleaded with the doctor to allow him to go back to the ground. Then he pleaded with his North Zone captain Bishan Bedi to allow him to resume his innings!

Jaw wired and mouth capable of sipping only, the brave warrior of Pune, now with Delhi, came out to face the wrath of his erstwhile colleagues of West Zone. Through sheer tenacity he completed his century and booked his ticket for Australia in 1977-78. This was the start of his 2^nd essay as an India opener.

Chetan Chauhan had a poor start to his Test career. He was one of the many youngsters tried by Vijay Merchant’s selection committee in 1969 at home. Apart from Gundappa Vishwanath, all fell by the road-side, including Chetan. Then it was the usual grind of domestic first-class cricket. Chetan, unlike most, did not look around for excuses. He concentrated on his batting and reeled off prolific figures with remarkable consistency. The courageous century against West Zone forced the national selectors to nod in his favour. Skipper Bedi wanted men who would fight for their motherland’s honour on those hard, fast Australian pitches.

His second service to the country was exemplary as he consistently gave solid support to Gavaskar, Viswanath, Mohinder Amarnath and Vengsarkar. He gave solidity to India’s innings against men like Richard Hadlee, Dennis Lillee, Jeff Thompson, Sylvester Clarke, Michael Marshall, Imran Khan, Sarfraz Nawaz, Ian Botham and Bob Willis among others. Got hit on the head and heart time and again but the warrior in him always came back to fight for India. No, no he did not believe in rest and recuperation. That’s for players with influential connections.

But his exit after a successful tour of Australia in 1981 raised eyebrows. Why was he omitted is anybody’s guess, unless it was because he was considered too old at 34. Unfortunately his replacements were nowhere in comparison: neither in ability, nor in guts. For over a decade India could not find a proper opener to accompany Gavaskar. Courageous Chetan faced the fastest of bowlers in 40 Tests scoring more than 2000 runs at a commendable average of 31.57.

If Chetan Chauhan was a dour batman at the crease with a grim mien, off the field I would remember him as a man with a peculiar sense of light-hearted humour. He was excellent company as he knew how to converse. He had wit, he had depth and he had a wide orbit of subjects to fall back on. I remember him telling us once, “Well, Sunil is my junior partner, you know. I need to advise him quite often while batting!”

On another occasion he told me, “Raju bhai, I caught you once. Don’t do anything awkward, I will catch you again!”The reference was to the fact he had caught me off his own innocuous off-spin in the Bengal-Maharashtra Ranji Trophy match way back in 1973.

He had this strange way of relating issues. Always laughingly maintained, “My job is to get a century partnership and not to score a century myself!” A clear reference that he never got a Test century himself although with SMG he had numerous century partnerships.

In 1981 in a fit of rage, Gavaskar upset with Lillee’s taunt asked his batting partner to accompany him and leave the ground! Bad decision, worse behavior whatever those were, there was no reason for the Indian team to leave the ground and forfeit the Test. Thankfully Sq. Ldr Durani, the manager, intervened and play continued with SMG leaving the field to a ‘debatable lbw’ decision. The point to note is that Chetan in all sanity did not rush out of the field as his captain SMG had ordered, but took hesitant steps and allowed the manager the time to intervene. This was the kind of maturity that Chetan possessed. Thankfully a very awkward scenario was avoided because of the sanity and maturity of two sensible men.

Chetan had very few positive strokes. His method was drab, dreary and deadpan. But he would be very categorical with critics, “Let me play my way. You play your way.” It was like the philosopher-cricketer CB Fry saying that one needs just one stroke which one can play all round the wicket.

Warrior Chetan’s approach to batting was to hold fort and lead from the front, as his namesake Pritviraj had done centuries ago. Chetan’s battle-field was, of course, the cricket ground where he would occupy the crease as long as possible to blunt the pace attack and allow the middle-order to flourish. Impeccable concept for a classical opener.

Most surprisingly his first scoring stroke in Test cricket was a six off Cairns of New Zealand! When asked how was it possible that he, who would treat every ball as a striking viper, hit the ball for a 6 to begin his Test career?  Chetan is believed to have said, “I did not hit the ball. The ball hit my bat and went over the boundary! In fact when I tried to hook a ball for a six, I got caught at the long-leg fence.”

Began his career as a batsman for Maharashtra and did consistently well. He always had the highest regard for his lion-hearted skipper, Chandu Borde. But at the international stage Chetan was a failure in the early days. Later shifted to Delhi and from the 1977 tour of Australia under Bishan Bedi he found his métier. Was a splendid partner to Sunil in many a battle.

After retirement he was a very prominent face in cricket circles as national selector, as cricket manager and generally as a very helpful administrator. On the ‘Harbhajan-Symonds issue’, as the India team manager he did not let the Aussies get away. He stood firm, a legacy of his army-man father.

Became associated with BJP in 1991. He did not join the political party for any career advancement, as is the recent pattern. Nor to save himself from any embarrassment. He did not manhandle anyone in public nor did he manipulate matches in private. He joined the political arena with the intent to serve his countrymen with all honesty and integrity.

 He was always a firm believer in Syama Prasad Mookerjee’s and his protégé Atal Vihari Vajpayee’s ideals. Even in his political career Chetan showed the same exemplary courage, tact and perseverance, for which he was so well known in cricket circles. Liberal-minded, he was beyond meanness and greed. He never passed unnecessary comments against any community nor did he applaud when historical structures were pulled down for he knew neither Syama Prasad nor Atal Vihari would subscribe to those views.

Chetan Chauhan learnt the rudiments of practical politics at the feet of Vajpayee. He became a parliamentarian in 1991 as Vajpayiji realized the man’s worth. He stood from Amroha in Uttar Pradesh and was re-elected in 1998. Between 2017 and till death in 2020 he was the minister of youth and sports in the UP government. It required the dreadful covid to uproot Chetan away from us.

He was very well-read. Took a deep interest in India’s social problems. Had an open mind and kept his perspectives very clear. He had a probing mind and was constantly trying to widen his horizon. When he came to know that Syama Prasad Mookerjee – the founder of Bhartiya Jan Sangh, the forefather of Bhartiya Janata Party (BJP) – was my paternal grandfather’s cousin, he asked me, “Why did he spell his first name in such a peculiar manner?” Honestly I had no answer.

But Chetan was deadly correct. No one would spell Shyama as Syama. The difference between ‘Sh’ and ‘S’ made a world of difference to people who cared about spelling and pronunciation. Yes, Chetan had a very, very diligent mind. God only knows why the great liberal visionary dropped the ‘h’ and kept only the ‘S” while writing his name.

As my colleague in the All-India Banks’ Sports Board, Chetan left behind indelible prints with his conscientious approach and execution. He was with Bank of Baroda and had a very successful banking career. Chetan was a go-to man, ever ready to help. His cheerful attitude made life easy for hundreds of people who approached him for help. He was certainly a distinguished parliamentarian who wore his mantle lightly.

Last time I met him was during an IPL match in 2013 at Feroze Shah Kotla ground in New Delhi. When I told him about a certain facility that was not attended to as promised, Chetan smiled, “Raju bhai, Delhi will always be Delhi. Everyone will promise ‘koi baat nei, ho jayega’ but nothing will be done. However, you need not worry, we shall arrange things in such a manner that you would be satisfied before the match starts.” He kept his word.

Chetan Chauhan will be remembered as an honest, determined soul with no frills. A very courageous man who did not take things lying down. Independent and confident, he never tried to befriend or influence the media, as is the trend among celebrities. A knowledgeable man full of wit and reason. He was perpetually doing some activity or the other. On the field he appeared to be slow and careful, but off the field he was a busy-body. Always on the move. Even up there, he will not rest. He will do something worthwhile to keep himself busy. Marvellous soul. I am proud to mention that we enjoyed the best of relationships.

At a time when politicians and sportsmen are exposing themselves to awkward scenarios and situations with their words and actions, here was a sportsman-politician who showed his integrity, his courage, his enterprise in both the vocations without prejudice or rancour. A rare breed, indeed.

 Chetan, you left behind excellent lessons for other sportsmen to follow.