Hemu Adhikari:  pioneer cricket teacher

Hemu Adhikari’s cricket career like his life has been one of extreme self-discipline and dogged determination. Born at Pune in 1919 to a Maharashtrian family of famous  political personalities that included the CPI leader BT Randive and Ahalya Rangnekar, young Hemu made his debut for Gujarat (1936-37) at the young age of 17, before shifting allegiance to Baroda which he represented from 1937-39 to 1949-50.

He went to Australia in 1947-48, where he made his debut at Sydney and had a very modest series except for a valiant, determined effort of 51 in the last Test in the company of the great Vijay Hazare. But their effort went in vain as India lost by an innings.  However Adhikari was quick to grasp that his attacking stroke-play would encounter problems on non-placid pitches on which he had very little exposure. From a very young age, the thoughtful Hemu Adhikari was indeed a diligent student of the intricacies of the game.

The bright, young stroke-maker converted himself into a dour, defensive batter to keep himself ready to face international oppositions in future. His intelligence and his adaptability paid immediate dividends as he scored a Test century against Goddard’s West Indies in 1948-49 at Feroze Shah Kotla in Delhi and finished the series with an average of over 50.        .

Later as his cricket career progressed, Colonel Adhikari, now with the Indian army, was extremely busy with his highly responsible duty for the nation on various territorial boundaries. His exemplary courage, his discipline and his fellow-feeling on the battlefield were laid bare on the cricket arenas as well. Wherever he went his was a quiet, unassuming presence. But the presence was striking because of his neat and orderly manner on and off the field.

 Hemchandra Ramchandra Adhikari played for the Services team from 1950 till he retired from active cricket in 1959-60. He was the exemplary role model for the Services cricketers like Chandrasekhar Gadkari, Bal Dani, Apurva Sengupta and Venkat Muddiah who went on to gain national colours in time.

Adhikari played 21 Tests in a career that spanned from 1947 to 1959. His batting average was higher than many at 31.12. In all first-class matches he scored 7988 runs at a highly respectable average of 41.38. Even in the 10 unofficial tests that he played for India, his average remained as high as 42. He also represented the Hindu team in the Pentangular of the early 1940s.

 On the disastrous tour of England in 1952 he was the vice-captain to his mentor Vijay Hazare but did not do justice to his potential.

However in India he played some remarkable knocks. At Kanpur in 1951-52 against England on a dreadful turner in a low-scoring game that finished in 3 days, he scored 60 out of 157 but could not help India to avert defeat.

 At Delhi in Pakistan’s inaugural Test match in 1952-53 Hemu Adhikari (81 not out) in association with Ghulam Ahmed (50) added 109 runs for the 10^th wicket to help India inflict an innings defeat on the neighbours. The record century stand stood for 50 years till Sachin Tendulkar and Zaheer Khan overtook the 10^th wicket partnership against Bangladesh in 2004.

The high point of Adhikari Test cricket career coincided with his greatest disappointment. In 1958-59 when Roy Gilchrist and Wesley Hall were pummeling the Indians into abject submission with sheer speed and ferocity, the Indian selectors took a whole lot of very strange decisions.

Four captains were tried in five Tests! After Polly Umrigar, Ghulam Ahmed and Vinoo Mankad were ousted for various reasons from the captaincy slot, the national selectors decided to give the 40-year old Hemu Adhikari the responsibility to put up some resistance with a battered and bruised side that underwent constant chopping and changing. When the nation beckoned him for service, how can a brave army man like Hemu Adhikari turn down the command? Adhikari himself was certainly on his last legs. But the warrior in him took up the challenge of leading India in his own quiet, unassuming way.

 

The Delhi Test of 1958-59 would go down in the annals of Indian cricket for the glorious fight-back of a national team with its back to the wall. It was most certainly Chandu Borde’s match. In cavalier fashion with the spirit of Shivaji Maharaj in him, Borde plunged into the opposition with his sword raised. Borde was the cynosure of all eyes with 109 and followed it up with 96. In the 2^nd innings, he was out hit wicket with his vigorous ‘pull’ striking the boundary rails and his bat dislodging a bail at the same moment!

 But what is totally forgotten is the contribution of the 40-year old veteran skipper. Hemu Adhikari with 63 and 40 added century partnerships in either innings with his mate Chandu Borde. Unused to the fearsome ferocity of Hall and Gilchrist – apart from the young army cadet Apurba Sengupta, no Indian established Test batter could register a century in that series till Borde did, not even in the first-class matches – the warrior in Hemu Adhikari put on his battle-dress and met the opposition with daggers drawn. It was splendid stuff. Chivalry at its best.

 As if this was not enough the steady leggie in him captured 3 wickets for 68 runs in 26 overs.  Debutant skipper Adhikari helped India to achieve a very creditable draw in the face of massive odds. Believe it or not, when the Indian team was announced for the tour of England within months, the name of the India’s highly successful captain was missing from the squad! That spelt ‘finis’ to his Test career.

His physical fitness level was next to none. He was one of the best fielders in the world in the deep in the 1950s. Anticipation, accuracy in throwing and a very safe pair of hands were his forte. Critics the world over rated him to be at par with the great Australian Neil Harvey in the cover region. He was among India’s greatest out-fielders ever.

After retirement, Adhikari was involved in the coaching of young cricketers. At the time in the 1960s prominent Test players were rarely seen to involve themselves in the coaching of young cricketers. The best of coaches were very conscientious gentlemen who had played either at the club or inter-state level. But Hemu Adhikari proved to be a glorious exception. Taking a leaf out of the examples of former English Test cricketers helping young talents, Test cricketer Adhikari involved himself with the big responsibility to help nurture the future cricketers of India. He was the pioneer in this respect.

He went as manager/coach with the Indian Schoolboys team to England in 1967 and to Australia in 1968-69. On both tours many future India cricketers gained from Hemu Adhikari’s ‘paternal’ guidance. He was extremely firm but very friendly. Stern and soft at the same time. He was very orthodox in his manner and speech; in his dress and deportment. With knowledge wide and deep, he was an ideal teacher of cricket to young hopefuls about to enter the adult arena at cricket.

Although he was the successful manager of Wadekar’s team to England in 1971, unfortunately he was not as successful when handling senior teams. It appeared that his orthodox views and policies did not find many supporters among the established players.

 His handling of the Ajit Wadekar’s team in England in the summer of 1974 came for widespread criticism, both on the off the field. It appeared that the elderly man was out of touch with modern-day realities, particularly media relations. Ill-advised, he misguided a young cricketer which led the latter to be branded for life for absolutely no fault of his. This tour culminated in the sad end to Hemu Adhikari’s cricket managerial career.

For eight successive seasons in the 1960s the army colonel from the Services happened to be the north zone representative in the national selection committee. In 1999 BCCI honoured him with the Col CK Nayudu award for his outstanding contribution to Indian cricket. Earlier in 1972 he received an honorary life membership from MCC.

Commissioned by the ABP group’s weekly sports magazine Sportsworld in the 1980s for an interview, I met him for the first time. He attracted immediate attention: clean-cut features, well-tailored apparel and careful attention to every detail. A dignified presence.

Found him quite reticent, unwilling to discuss any controversial issue. After the interview was done, he somehow had a change of heart and requested me, “Will it be all right if you do not publish the interview at all?” I was quite surprised, “Of course, sir, if you wish I shall not print a word.” He appeared extremely happy, “Thanks. Honestly I do not want to offend anyone. Sometimes even an innocent remark can be interpreted differently leading to unnecessary hassles. I want to stay away from controversy.” I assured him, “Sir, I shall not publish this interview ever.” Relieved, he shook my hand. The clasp was firm but warm. Just like the man.

Honestly, I was more relieved than he was. Because he happened to be my father-in-law’s cousin and was a regular visitor at the Samarth’s residence whenever he happened to be at Calcutta. It is always difficult interviewing even a distant relative. The acting editor Arijit Sen, deputizing for editor Tiger Pataudi, understood my predicament.

Next met him at Brabourne Stadium in Mumbai in the mid 1990s when three senior coaches were invited by the CCI president Raj Singh Dungarpur to assist Hemu Adhikari at a CCI-conducted coaching camp for prominent under-19 talents. Vasu Paranjpe of Mumbai happened to be one of the assistants. The other gentleman was from Tamil Nadu, whose name I cannot recollect now. Would he be one Mr Arunachalam, I wonder?  

 As was his reputation, the mentor-supervisor Hemu Adhikari was his dignified, unassuming self and asked his assistants to take charge independently. I looked into the fielding aspect and began with my usual drill with tennis-ball catching. He was highly impressed as were Raj Singh Dungarpur and the attending journalist, the highly volatile Rajan Bala.

Hemu Adhikari shall always remain a treasured name in Indian cricket for his contribution as a teacher of cricket to Indian youngsters. In the 1950s and 1960s rarely would one find a former Test cricketer spending time and effort to help young, inexperienced players as there was neither fame nor fortune to be made from coaching unheralded youngsters.

Colonel Hemu Adhikari was a glorious exception and a pioneer. His manner, his speech, his bearing, his tone, his discipline, his sincerity all bore the stamp of a person at peace with himself. He left for his Heavenly abode in 2003 leaving behind his wonderful wife, Kamala.