Montu Banerjee in 1948

Unfortunate victims of whimsical selection policy

Deepak Shodhan

Deepak Shodhan’s cricket career had a strange resemblance to that of Madhav Apte’s. They were contemporaries in the Indian cricket of early 1950s. Both made their first appearance in 1952-53 against Pakistan in India. Both were successful with the willow in hand. Both booked their flight tickets for the following tour to West Indies in early 1953. In the Caribbean both did well enough. Enough everyone thought to retain their places. But both were never heard of again in Test cricket!

Roshan Harshadlal Shodhan (1928-2016) was a middle-order batter from Gujerat possessing a sound technique and unflappable temperament. He had the easy elegance of a natural left-hander. At Eden Gardens in the 5^th and last Test against Pakistan, he made his debut for India. Although in the team as a specialist batter, he was sent to bat as low as number 8. However, he kept his frustration to himself and decided to make the most of the given opportunity.

As the 6th wicket fell for 179 runs, the 24 year old, well-built lad of 6 feet in height walked confidently to the pitch with grim determination. With characteristic caution he took time to settle down but once he had soaked in the atmosphere at Eden, he let loose an array of all-round strokes pleasing to the eye. He looked remarkably matured for a man of his age.

His innings full of responsibility continued till he crossed his century. The knowledgeable Eden Gardens audience gave him a standing ovation. He became the first Indian batsman to score a hundred in the first innings of his first Test match. In the process he helped his team to reach a respectable total of 397 and to be comfortably placed.

Within months he was on the tour to the Caribbean. In West Indies in the 1^st Test again he went to bat at number 8. He displayed lovely strokes against wiles of Sonny Ramadhin and company to register 45 valuable runs. In the 2^nd innings he met his first failure, to be out for 11.

Believe it or not, he was actually dropped from the XI for the next 3 Tests. No explanations were given. However in the final and 5^th Test again he was selected to play. But this time he was down with an injury and could not bat in the first innings. In the second knock the injured man walked in at number 10 and remained unbeaten on 15 as the innings concluded.

Young Deepak Shodhan recovered from his injury. But the supposedly matured national selectors failed to recover from their mental block. They seemed to be in some kind of ennui or was it some kind of bias?

The graceful leftie was left high and dry when the next India team was selected to visit Pakistan in 1954. He was actually omitted in favour of people who were nowhere near him in talent or in performance. Never was he invited to represent India again. In the 3 Tests that he played, he had a century on debut and finished his career with an astounding average of 60.

Again like Madhav Apte, he had a sound academic background and belonged to a wealthy family which owned mills. Remarkable similarity in destiny accompanied both the contemporaries. Both stared at sad fate with remarkable composure. They never complained about the injustice that they had to face.

Even after retirement, neither Apte nor Shodhan was ever considered to be a selector or in any administrative post. Two former educated Test cricketers, who owned and ran successful business enterprises, were never thought to be good enough for cricket administration in India.

Both had the upbringing to discuss subjects apart from cricket. They were not known for abusive conduct or aggressive behavior on the field of play. Both were very matured in conduct and in speech. They were exemplary ambassadors of Indian cricket.

Wonder what really went against them? Was it to do with cricket? Or, otherwise?

Montu Banerjee

Similar to Shute Banerjee was the destiny of another Banerjee, Sudhangshu Sekhar (1917-1992). He too played just one Test for India and he too scalped 5 wickets. Only to find that he was sidelined forever!

Against John Goddard’s West Indies at Eden Gardens in 1948-49 he ‘castled’ both the openers Alan Rae and Denis Atkinson for a mere 28 runs and went on to capture 2 more wickets in the 1^st innings. Added another one in the next. But all his 5 wickets and 3 catches were instantly forgotten by the national selectors.

Montu, as he was popularly called, was a fascinating medium-paced swing bowler with impeccable control. He could swing the ball either way. With the old ball he could bowl a devastating in-swinger. He was one of the mainstays of Bengal cricket in the 1940s and 1950s.

Montuda came from a very well-known, highly respected family. As an arts graduate of the widely-acclaimed Calcutta University of the 1940s, he had the requisite qualification to be employed in a responsible government job. By no means did he have to rely on cricket to earn his livelihood.

Nearly six feet in height, and a lithe physique, he had chiselled features with a broad forehead and a prominent nose. Every inch revealed a distinct sign of aristocracy. The handsome man moved about in style. Always dressed in flowing dhoti and silk paanjaabi, he possessed a grand collection of walking sticks which gave flavour to his distinctive appearance. Wonder where the fabulous collection is today!

Montuda loved his whisky and his wine but, more importantly, knew how to nurse those. Magnificent commentator and drinks-connoisseur John Arlott would have fallen for his company any day. Just as Bhaya – nickname of the maharaja of Coochbehar and the former Bengal captain – craved for Montuda’s companionship because the latter had taught his royal-friend to appreciate the difference between mohua and dheno; between taari and cholai. Bengal always took pride in its own brand of liquor and prominent personalities were known to encourage it in the days of the freedom struggle.

When asked about his disappointments in cricket, I could see the reflection of the legendary Chhobi Biswas of Jalsha-ghar looking at me with a wry smile, “What disappointment? I loved the noble game and I still love it. I was an amateur cricketer and am still proud of being so.”

“But, Montuda, you were certainly not an amateur in your cricketing skills. You had the brilliant West Indians fumbling to tackle your aerial movement?”

“That’s for others to judge. Hardly did I care then, nor do I care now.”

That is just the kind of spirit these exemplary sportsmen had. Unfortunately they are forgotten souls today.

 

 

                    With Amarnath & Pataudi (Sr) in UK, 1946

                                    World record with Chandu Sarwate at the Oval,1946

Shute Banerjee: cricketer crucified again and again…

 

He was crucified time and again. Nails sharp and pointed: available in plenty; no shortages over a decade and half.

 

Shute Banerjee had a strange career even by the strange standards of contemporary India in the 1930s and 1940s. The tall and broad shouldered youth was a genuine fast bowler, ranked just beneath Mohammed Nissar and Ladha Ramji for sheer pace at the time. Young Shute had impressed one and all with his pace, energy, enthusiasm and all-round ability. He had the potential to prove that he was just the colt India needed for the future.

 

In 1935 he played for India for the first time. It was an unofficial test against Jack Ryder’s Australians. With his blistering speed and all-round aggression he created a very fair impression on the national selectors. The fast bowler even opened the batting for India in one innings and scored 70. Shades of all-round skills of pace bowlers Dattu Phadkar and Kapil Dev in the years to come.

 

 In 1936 he toured England with Vizzy’s team as one of the pace bowlers. Mohammed Nissar of blitzkrieg pace and Amar Singh of crafty brilliance were the automatic choices in the first XI. But when Jahangir Khan played in all 3 Tests bowling 55 overs without a single wicket, one could make out that considerations apart from cricket skills were being given prominence.

 

As if this was not enough, Mohammed Baqa Jilani was played in the 3^rd and final test at the Oval. Jilani had done precious little on tour –no comparison to the highly talented Banerjee or the steady Gopalan – but some external influence seemed to have tilted the scales in his favour! That Jilani abused CK Nayudu under captain Vizzy’s orders to get selected in the Test team is another story, another time! Both Jahangir Khan and Baqa Jilani came from very influential family backgrounds.

 

Back home Shute continued playing for India in the unofficial tests with success, once dismissing the world’s premier all-rounder Keith Miller twice in one match for less than 10 runs in each innings. He was outstanding in Ranji Trophy as well.

 

Then in 1946 he was again in England with Iftiqar Ali Khan Pataudi’s team. His pace had come down considerably but the intelligent bowler used the seam to good effect on the grassy conditions in England. But again no place could be found for him in the Test-playing XI.

 

This time in 1946 he even created a world record as a batsman! Both Chandu Sarwate and Shute Banerjee, batting at numbers 10 and 11, scored centuries against a strong Surrey side that included the legendary Alec Bedser. They added 249 in 3 hours of immaculate stroke-play. This happens to be the only occasion in cricket when both the last batters got hundreds. The achievement still stands. But the official Test debut still eluded Shute.

 

After independence, the West Indies under John Goddard were the first team to come to India in 1948-49. In the 5^th and last Test match at Bombay’s Brabourne Stadium India took the field with Shute Banerjee in the playing XI for the first time in an official Test for India. Now at 36, he was well past his prime as a fast bowler and no one expected him to counter the likes of Everton Weekes and Clyde Walcott with any conviction.

 

How mistaken we all were. The ‘old’ man came with his bag full of cunning. He took 5 wickets and nearly helped India to win the Test against all odds. India had to score just 6 more runs when stumps were drawn. Ironically the man who brought India to the threshold of a great victory was never selected to play for India again!

 

Believe it or not, Shute Banerjee was never again considered capable enough to represent his country!  His debut and his swan-song coincided. But before bidding his final adieu, by capturing 5 wickets and bringing India to the door step of a great victory, Shute Banerjee proved to the world how unjustly he was handled over the years.

 

Shute was a victim of circumstances beyond his control ever since he became a name to contend with. He began his first-class career with Bengal in 1935-36 and played against Ryder Australians with success thereby becoming the first native Bengalee to play for India in an unofficial Test.

 

Following season, 1936-37, while doing wonders for Bengal in the initial stages, he got trapped in a situation over which he had no control. The princely state of Nawanagar had just been allowed by BCCI to take part in the national championship for the coveted Ranji Trophy. They had a fairly strong outfit including the great Amar Singh and the highly talented young Vinoo Mankad. By dint of excellent performances Nawanagar reached the Ranji Trophy final. As Bengal had done from the other half of the knock-out Ranji Trophy championship at the time.

 

Now both the teams reached Bombay for the final at the newly-constructed Brabourne Stadium. Apart from cricket on the field, the Nawanagar royals thought of an unusual scheme. Nawanagar offered a job to Shute Banerjee on the eve of the final with a condition that he had to join the employment on that day itself! By the peculiar notion at the time this meant that Shute would not be able to play against Nawanagar for his home state Bengal!

 

Unemployed Banerjee was in a quandary. He had little option. He opted for the security of a job thereby rendering himself ineligible for the final against Nawanagar. Thus Bengal was deprived of their main player and Nawanagar went on to win the Ranji Trophy with comparative ease.

 

Most certainly Nawanagar did themselves no credit by resorting to a highly unethical practice in the recruitment of the India all-rounder Shute Banerjee. Banerjee had gone to Bombay with the Bengal team, his home State, to play against Nawanagar in the Ranji Trophy final. As the premier all-rounder, he was having a highly successful season for Bengal.

 

 The Bengal captain was PI Van der Gucht, a wicket-keeper of Dutch descent. He spoke to his opposing counterpart, AF Wensley, a professional English county cricketer, regarding the strange and unusual scenario, but without any success. Wensley pleaded helplessness as the ‘orders’ had come from the State monarch. Those days the rules of BCCI were highly elastic and inevitably some elements took advantage of the situation.

 

Just goes to show that the so-called spirit of cricket was sacrificed with impunity even in the past as it is done today. Officials and players of the past were no saints. In fact, in the earlier days conspiracies and back-stabbing were as common as those are today.

 

After serving Nawanagar,  Banerjee went to Bihar and led them from 1942 till he retired at the age of 47 in 1958. He happened to be the first-ever cricketer to play Test cricket from Bihar when he played against West Indies in 1948-49.

 

Shute Banerjee served as the manager of the East Zone teams in the 1970s. Magnanimous to a fault, he would never breathe a word of criticism against anyone, nor even against people who had been unjust to him during his cricket career. The broad shouldered six-footer had a hearty laugh and would lose his wallet quite often! We, the players, had to keep the manager under constant watch! Once, with a full-throated laughter, he exclaimed, “Raju, you would make a good manager!”

 

He really had me stumped with his answer one day. I would pester him about his cricket and the whole lot of problems he had to face. He laughed and said, “You seem to know more about me than I do. I do not remember a thing of what you are saying about me. I guess you are making up these stories yourself! Raju, life is too short to bother about little problems.”

 

To him life was just a passage of time. To be spent with laughter and fun. He was hard on himself; soft on others. The spirit of chivalry that Shute Banerjee planted in Bihar soil manifested manifold in the soul of the great MS Dhoni. Dhoni is the most deserving pall-bearer of the ‘cool-fighter’ Shute’s heritage.

 

Born in a family of freedom fighters, the north Calcutta-based young man of massive frame enjoyed sporting activities of all disciplines. He was particularly inclined towards football. But one day Dukhiram Mazumdar, patron of cricket and an influential member of Aryan Club, asked the young man to try bowling quick at the nets. The lively pace and the lift generated by the physically strong youngster was enough for Mazumdar to ask him to concentrate on cricket.

 

This was just the kind of inspiration that the talented, gutsy man needed. Within a few months his name featured in the conversation of expatriate British cricketers who represented Bengal.

 

With all good motive, many of his local seniors tried to wean him away from bowling fast. They told him to concentrate on ‘length and line’, rather than on lively, all-out pace. Young Shute, generally confident and aggressive, was in a dilemma.

 

Thankfully Alec Hosie – former Hampshire player and the only double centurion in Quadrangular cricket – was the Bengal cricket captain at the time. He put his arm round Banerjee’s shoulders, “Son, you have the pace to scare batters. Never compromise on pace. Control of length, line and variations will all come later. Just keep doing what you are doing naturally. Bowlers of extreme pace are rare; they are naturals; they are as good as gold.” Expatriate Alec Hosie happened to be the first from Bengal to play an unofficial Test for India in 1926 against Arthur Gilligan’s MCC team.

 

Upright and intelligent, the confident youngster Shute Banerjee maintained highest principles for the rest of his life. So much so that he lost the opportunity to play a Test match in England in 1936 for not being part of a conspiracy! He was asked to humiliate CK Nayudu publicly if he wanted to play the final Test at Oval. As a man of character, he declined the unusual offer. Highly influential Baqa Jilani willingly carried out the dastardly act and received his ‘gift’! The 25 year-old man of principle had his Test debut delayed by 12 years!

 

Sarobindu Nath ‘Shute’ Banerjee (1911-1980) died a man full of bonhomie and laughter. He was larger than life. As a human being, far ahead of the conspirators who back-stabbed him.

 

A forgotten role-model. My salute to the cricketer, more so to the man.

 

 

Madhav Apte: victim of awful discrimination

 We all agree that selection of teams is a subjective process depending upon various factors. But when whimsical selections and omissions are made, serious followers are bound to ask questions.

 In India we have had some very strange decisions taken over the years. Once prompting even the cool, level-headed Mohinder Amarnath to lament, “They are jokers.” He meant it in all seriousness and with due  consideration. And Indian cricket lovers all over the country lapped up the sentiments. Still they remember that direct accusation camouflaged in euphemistic words.

 We have seen how very deserving players have been completely ignored. Men like Padmakar Shivalkar and Rajinder Goel were overlooked. At least they are still thankfully acknowledged quite often but the same sentiments do not follow other very deserving non-Test men like AG Ram Singh, BB Nimbalkar, Sudhakar Adhikari, Shyam Sundar Mitra and PK Beliappa among others.

 We have forgotten the lion-hearted contribution of a pace bowler of Abdul Ismail’s calibre. The man who helped Bombay to dominate Indian cricket in the 1960s and 1970s. Why was left-arm medium pacer Premangshu Chatterjee overlooked? The actual reason has never been divulged publicly. Had medium pacer Anup Ghatak not been from unfancied Assam, he would have been praised by the media. His peers rated him very highly.

 There is another category of victims in Indian cricket. Those who did get a few chances but were omitted for failing to grab those few opportunities. In this group fall men like Milkha Singh, Ambar Roy, Squadron Leader Apurva Sengupta, Ramesh Saxena, Vaman Kumar among others. True they had their initial opportunities, but were sidelined for diverse reasons and completely forgotten later.

 But there is another category still. The most unfortunate ones. Men who were omitted despite doing wonders! In this group the two most prominent names are Shute Banerjee (1911-1980) and Madhav Apte (1932 - 2019).

 They belong to different eras; different provinces; different backgrounds; different communities; different specializations. But they shared the same disastrous fate: omitted after having done well enough to merit further considerations.

 Even today the same pattern continues unabated. Although the post 1970 players are not under this series of mine, we ought to remember the names of players like Kenia Jayantilal, Amol Muzumder, Subrata Banerjee, Karan Nair, Vivek Razdan among others who belong to one of the above three categories.

 Why were they victims of injustice have never been officially disclosed. No one found any time for them! Even today rarely would they be discussed and dissected. Disgusting, depressing indeed.

 Today we shall follow the career of an outstanding opening batsman in the 1950s, who was laid low despite phenomenal success. He was Madhav Apte

 Why was Madhav Apte discarded from the India team at just 23 when he was at the height of his success? He was certainly a victim. But why was he so? Was it because of his caste? Community? Province? Was it because of his wealthy background? Was it because of his education and sophistication? Apte’s issue has never been discussed threadbare by any one in Indian cricket. Were people trying to hide something or someone? What went wrong with Madhav Apte still remains a mystery.

 

20 year old Madhav Apte, scion of a textile industrialist family, made his Test debut on his home soil at his favourite venue, Brabourne Stadium in 1952. He tackled the venomous Fazal Mahmood – one of the greatest medium-pacers ever – who had just taken 12 wickets in the previous Test to give India an innings defeat. Debutant opener revealed remarkable maturity scoring 30 and 10 not out. In the following Test he got a neat 42, the 2^nd highest scorer for India and was promptly dropped from the team for the next Test!

 

 Luckily he was selected for the tour of West Indies the following month, January 1953. Apte returned from West Indies in 1953 in all glory. He was among the most prominent batter on the tour with 460 runs including 3 fifties and a highest score of 163 not out with an average of above 50. His scores in the 5 Tests were 64, 52, 64, 9, 0, 163*, 30, 30, 15 and 33.

 

 He matched Manjrekar, Umrigar and Roy stroke for stroke; run for run. It seemed from afar that India had found an ideal opening partner for Pankaj Roy. But, believe it or not, Madhav Apte’s name was never to be found in the India XI again!

 

At a time when Indian fielding was not of the top order, Madhav Apte at cover point was an exception. Neat of movement, he relied on anticipation and an unerring throw. Every inch a cricketer he was. He was an asset to the strong Bombay side of the 1950s. He had everything going in his favour. Generous and studious, no one could fault the gentleman on any account.

 

Then why did he change State and come to Bengal? Why did he go back to Bombay again after just a season? Today after so many decades these questions are still unanswered. One of the confounding mysteries of Indian cricket is Madhav Apte’s cricket career.

 

Although never confirmed, in cricket circles it was said in hush-hush tones that some of our national selectors had asked him for bribes! Yes, you read right. The Apte family was extremely wealthy and very successful in the textile industry. The concerned selectors thought that since he was so very successful, his family would be too willing to part with money for his future.

 

 But they were wrong. Madhav Apte’s father, an erudite man of high principles, categorically refused any such nonsense. He was supposed to have confided, “If my son needs to pay money to play cricket for India, then he need not play at all.” Thus India lost a quality performer because of the greed of some of our national selectors. Of course, these issues can never be confirmed but neither was it ever contradicted!

 

Without casting any aspersions on anybody, out of curiosity we might wish to know the names of men who helped to select him as well of those who thought his performances did not merit further opportunities. When Madhav Apte was chosen in 1952-53 against Pakistan and West Indies, the national selection committee consisted of HN Contractor, C Ramaswamy and Manindra Dutta Ray.

 

Following season in 1953-54 India played no official Tests. In the only unofficial Test against Silver Jubilee Overseas Cricketers (SJOC) that he was chosen, he scored 30 and was involved in a century partnership with Vijay Manjrekar. When Apte was omitted in 1954-55 the selectors happened to be HN Contractor, Lala Amarnath, C Ramaswami and Manindra Dutta Ray.

 

Madhav Apte had a very successful career away from cricket. But cricket was his first love. He was generous to a fault whenever a young cricketer would need any help. He was a liberal soul who made no distinction between people on the basis of their caste, colour, creed, race or province. A gem of a man.

 

Later he became the president of CCI in his hometown of Mumbai. Left behind fond memories to all those fortunate enough to meet him. Once in the 1980s eminent sports writer Rajan Bala wanted to write on him and accordingly met Madhav Apte with a request for interview.

 

Instead of mentioning the gory details of those horrible days of the 1950s, the sophisticated gentleman Madhav Apte merely said, “Let bygones be bygones. I do not want to look into the past. It was only my personal loss. Rather let’s look at the progress of young Indians today and in future. That would be a national gain.” Only a highly magnanimous soul can relate in this fashion.

 

I received a call from Mumbai one January morning in 2015. From the other end a distinguished voice – sophisticated and cultured – asked, “May I speak to Mr Raju Mukherji?” Answered in the affirmative and asked, “Sir, may I know your name, please?”

The voice replied, “Mr Mukherji, you would not know me, I happen to be the president of CCI. My name is Madhav Apte.”

I almost stammered, “Sir, are you the former India cricketer?”

He was extremely courteous, “Well, yes. But let’s forget that part. I just read your book on Eden Gardens. Sachin Bajaj gave me your phone number. I am calling you to request that you do a similar book on CCI.” Then softly added, “I shall not take ‘no’ for an answer.”

“Sir, very grateful to you for enjoying the book and for the offer. To be honest, my knowledge of CCI and Brabourne Stadium is very limited. Only theoretical. I do not think I shall be able to do justice to the proposed book.”

He was prim and proper, “Fair enough. Should you change your mind, do give me a call. All the best. Keep writing.”

“Sir, I wish to write on your cricket career. Would you please spare some time for me?”

His sophisticated voice was crystal clear, “Don’t write on me now. Please let me die a peaceful death!”

I could only mumble, “Sir, I promise the tribute shall wait.”

Within a few years he was no more.

 For the information of my dear readers, Madhavrao Laxmanrao Apte’s Test career was terminated by our selectors when his Test batting average was a phenomenal 49.27, far higher than most batters around the world. Perhaps he was omitted for ‘not failing’!

 This is my tribute to a great soul.

 

 

Ajit Wadekar                              

Only thrice has India won a Test series on English soil. The captains were Ajit Wadekar (1-0 in 1971), Kapil Dev (2-0 in 1986) and Rahul Dravid (1-0 in 2007). Ironically not one of the above three has ever been rated very highly as a captain in India.

Captains who lost or drew the series in England have been eulogized in the Indian media!  Cricket history reveals that the England tour is always the most difficult for most teams including India. Because of the varying climatic conditions and the nature of the pitches. Since 1932 India has played 19 Test series on English soil and lost 14 of those. Most of the Indians captains, who lost or drew, have been those who were supposed to possess exceptional cricket brains.

Yet the exceptional achievements of the three successful Indian captains in England have not received their due recognition. Capable captains like Ajit Wadekar, Kapil Dev and Rahul Dravid never received any acclaim for their leadership qualities. Very strange, indeed. Very unfortunate.

Wadekar’s captaincy career has been a giant-wheel in motion. For a period of three years from 1971 he was right on top, having won every series that came his way.  Then in a matter of weeks in 1974 he came crashing down. Became a villain whom everybody wanted to curse and kick.

People forgot that he had won a series against Gary Sobers’ West Indies in their own backyard in 1971. Repeated his success on English soil against a very strong England team led by Ray Illingworth in 1971. The following season his team beat Tony Lewis’ England in India in 1972-73. Australia had just beaten England. So if there was system of ranking at the time, India would have been the top cricketing nation in the world in the early 1970s. Yes, whether one admits it or not, India was number one in world cricket between 1971 and 1973.

Thus Wadekar won three series in succession, a feat which no other Indian captain has ever been able to replicate. He was indeed unlucky that he never had New Zealand, Sri Lanka, Zimbabwe and Bangladesh in the opposition to inflate his ‘win’ record as is the trend with our contemporary captains.

Ajit Wadekar received almost no credit for his team’s success. It was always claimed that he won with “Tiger Pataudi’s men”! Ajit Wadekar could have easily maintained, “If that be the issue, then why did Tiger not win with his own men?” Absolutely to the point, he would have been. But Wadekar never did.

However in 1974 Wadekar’s team lost all its 3 Tests in England. It was a disastrous tour for India with all the top stars available. The moment that happened, his house in Mumbai became the target of stones and bricks. Ajit Wadekar actually had almost the same players as he did in 1971. Yet the media forgot all about “Tiger Pataudi’s men” and laid all the blame on Wadekar’s captaincy! Wadekar, disappointed and upset, retired immediately from all forms of cricket on his return from England in 1974.

There is a notion in India that Indian cricket came of age in 1983 when the Prudential World Cup was won in England. Actually huge amounts of money began to flow into Indian cricket since 1983 on account of the great achievement of Kapil Dev and his men.

But in reality Indian cricket began to get respect of international oppositions actually from 1971. This particular year was the turning point of Indian cricket in more ways than one.

In 1968-69 Mansur Ali Khan Pataudi’s men won a series abroad for the first time. The opponents were the New Zealanders. No one took the Kiwis seriously at the time. In fact along with New Zealand, teams from India and Pakistan were considered to be weak oppositions away from home.

After having experimented with a host of potential talents for about two years, in 1971 the chairman of the national selection committee, Vijay Merchant – among the best-ever openers – omitted Pataudi from the captaincy saddle. This was major ‘news’ at the time. The obvious choice was his deputy, Chandu Borde. He too was dropped from the touring party. A studious, reticent young man by the name of Ajit Laxman Wadekar was elevated to the post amid much accusation of provincial bias.

But Vijay Merchant stuck to his ideas. He brought in young people with outstanding performances in domestic cricket. Merchant had no time for ‘fancy players’ with supposed potential and no performance. All those who were tried and had failed to perform during those two seasons were gently sidelined.

Thus Ajit Wadekar was fortunate that he had the ‘grey matter’ of Merchant to guide him. Wadekar was selected as captain because he had led Bombay and West Zone to innumerable victories in domestic cricket. Wadekar knew what leadership was all about and, very importantly, knew how to win.

Surprisingly Ajit Wadekar never played serious cricket while at school. He was a very bright student and had once even ‘maxed’ his algebra paper.   While a school student his cricket was restricted to casual matches with his neighbourhood peers. In college his cricket suddenly flowered and he became a regular in the strong Bombay University side.

At the time he was a fluent player of exceptional elegance. His stylish stroke-play was a connoisseur’s delight. Drives and cuts came naturally to him. On the maidans of Mumbai, he honed his skills under the careful guidance of various former cricketers as is the custom in Mumbai even today.

Wadekar was not satisfied in being a stylish only. He developed a gluttony for runs and more runs. No amount of high scores would satisfy his appetite. This approach stayed with him in every domestic championship. He would ‘murder’ spin bowling under any conditions. High rising deliveries of extreme pace troubled him. But then who did not have problems against such deliveries? As the great Rohan Kanhai, among the greatest of ‘hookers’, once said, “None of us likes 90mph deliveries coming to our face; it is only that some play it better than others.” Absolute truth: bull’s-eye comment.

Unfortunately Wadekar was ignored for a long time by the national selectors. Finally when he could not be neglected any more by the sheer weight of his performances, he made his debut in 1967 in his late 20s. But by then his style had changed beyond belief. He was no longer the fluid stroke-maker of yore. His approach was of a man who had come to make the most of his limited opportunities. He was very effective, no doubt, but no longer the graceful striker that he was.

He led from the front.  He taught us Indians that we were good enough to beat the best in the world by our own methods. He did not copy others. Did not bother to find out what Australia, England and West Indies were doing. He concentrated on India’s strength. He relied on spin bowling and on close-in catching to win matches for India.

Wadekar selected his XI on the basis of ‘horses for courses’. The moment the genius of Salim Durani gave India the victory at Port of Spain as early as the 2^nd Test match of the 5-match series, skipper Wadekar’s total concentration was to hold on to the lead till the last day of the series. No respite did he allow himself or his mates from the job. He did not take any more chances to win but simply closed the gates. The greatest-ever Gary Sobers and his men tasted their first series defeat to India. That too on Caribbean soil. Yes, West Indies had a very weak bowling attack, but surely that cannot be held against Wadekar or India.

In England, too, at the final Test at Oval Ajit Wadekar realized that if anybody could give India a victory it would be Bhagawat Chandrasekhar. He had Chandra to plunge the dagger in and held on till the opposition submitted. Wadekar had a set of most brilliant foursome around the batters to accept even catches which could hardly be rated as ‘chances’. Men like Eknath Solkar, Venkataraghavan, Abid Ali and he himself formed a quartet which was the best-ever quartet of close-in cordon that the world had ever seen.

People who criticize Wadekar conveniently forget that he did not possess a single pace bowler worth mentioning. He had a wicket-keeper who was more of a show-man. Apart from the awesome talents of two youngsters Viswanath and the debutant Gavaskar, skipper Ajit Wadekar never possessed another batter of world renown. He fought the best with the talent available. But the brilliant man got his mix in the right proportion. Men like Dilip Sardesai (a most lucky selection), Salim Durani, Eknath Solkar, Sunil Gavaskar, Gundappa Vishwanath, Bishan Bedi, Venkataraghavan, Chandrasekhar and Prasanna made all Indians walk ten feet tall between 1971 and 1973.

Ajit Wadekar taught India that we could beat the best in their own back-yard. Back in the 1970s it was a yeoman effort. None quite thought it could be achieved. When it did happen, some sections of our media instead of praising Wadekar and his boys insisted that the opposition was weak. Yes, West Indies’ pace attack was their weakest ever, but what about their batting strength which had Kanhai, Sobers, Lloyd and Fredericks? Moreover, Ray Illingworth’s team and Tony Lewis’ side were as strong as any. 

Wadekar never played to the gallery. He made no friends with the media for support. Never compromised on his tough, no-nonsense approach. He kept his wit for his after-dinner speeches. He preferred the company of books to the company of flatterers at the bar.

An ever-lasting memory of Ajit Wadekar was at the Moin-ud-Dowlah Trophy championship at Hyderabad in the early 1970s. While most players would be at the lounge on the first-floor of the Fateh Maidan’s Lal Bahadur Shastri Stadium, nursing their ‘drinks’, the current India skipper would be seen in his room with a book and beer for company. He evinced a keen interest in the book I was reading. Borrowed it and returned it within two days mentioning, “I am a fan of Che Guevara as well.”

Next time, after more than a decade, I met him in his chamber at a nationalized bank in Mumbai. He was the Sports Convener of the Banks’ Sports Board. As the representative from Calcutta, I asked him if it would be possible to have observers sent to the neglected north-east India to unearth sports talents. Wadekar kept his ears open and gave his assent.

Ajit Wadekar guided his employer State Bank of India very diligently. One of the discoveries happened to be a teenager from Sikkim, Bhaichung Bhutia. Actually it was a former international football player from Wadekar’s bank who can be given the credit for the discovery, Bhaskar Ganguly.

Wadekar had a very successful career as a banker. He represented various organizations and contributed immensely. Was a delightful speaker, when he wanted to be. He was a perfectionist in whatever he did.

Diffident by nature, he was a difficult man to understand. His whole life has been full of peculiar contradictions. Misunderstood and misjudged, the soft-spoken, academically brilliant man always remained a soft target. I guess the intelligent individual preferred to remain an enigma till his last day.