Gama Pehelwan

Gama Pehelwan                                           

The first Indian sportsmen to become world champions were the wrestlers. Formidable men like Karim Bux (1892), Ghulam (1900), Gama (1910) and Gobor Goho (1921) brought unprecedented honour to India under colonial shackles. They strode the world by sheer blood and guts in an environment of hostility and humiliation. These men relied on themselves. They possessed phenomenal strength, skill, courage, determination and self-belief. Totally devoted to the ideals of their deity, Lord Hanuman.

Among them was Mian Ghulam Mohammed, more popular as Gama Pehelwan. Born in Datia in the princely state of Holkar (Madhya Pradesh) in 1880, his skills at the ankhara were phenomenal. Every opposition was decimated with clinical precision. The fearsome wrestler of massive girth was as handsome as he was modest and generous.

 Early in life he came under the generous patronage of the Maharaja of Patiala. In 1910, Gama set sail for UK to pit his strength against the best of European and American grapplers. The other wrestlers in the squad were Imam Bux (his cousin), Gamu, Gobor Goho from Calcutta and Ahmed Bux.

The western wrestlers of superior height made fun of the short-statured Indian grapplers. Within days however, the reality dawned.  Just 5 feet 7 inches in height and about 200 lbs in weight, Gama’s immense strength combined with his technique had the white-skinned wrestlers in total disarray.

The world champion at the time was Stanislaus Zbyzsko of Poland. On 12^thDecember, 1910, the two giants fought each other with no quarters given, none asked for. At the end of more than two hours of grueling duel, it was decided to stop the fight for the day and a re-match was scheduled.

But next time Zbyzsko did not show up. The organizers had no option but to crown Gama with the world title. For more than a decade he was unrivalled. None quite came close to defeating him. He remained the undefeated champion of the world.

Close on Gama’s heels came his cousin, Imam Bux. In fact Imam’s father, Aziz Bux, was the person who coached Gama and Imam. Imam was indisputably among the greatest ever, but he never received the world crown because he constantly refused to fight against his elder cousin out of a tradition of respect prevalent among certain wrestlers in India.

 In Gama’s later years he would probably have lost the world crown to Imam had the younger cousin duelled with him. But not only did Imam not fight Gama, Imam also let it be known that whoever wanted to fight Gama, would have to defeat him first. Since no wrestler was able to beat Imam, the reign of Gama continued till his retirement.

The great Gama retired as the undefeated heavy weight champion of the world. After partition he settled down in Lahore, where he expired in 1960. Unfortunately the art of wrestling has lost its way in urban India. But the legend of Gama Pehelwan, as the Rustam-e-Zaman still continues to reverberate among the rural masses of the sub-continent. Today these hardy, brave jawans from rural India guard India’s borders just as Gama Pehelwan once guarded India’s self-respect.

                                       

  Umpires go scot free

Now that the dust has settled, hopefully the genuine cricket followers can make their voices heard. The hullabaloo that followed the Smith incident at the Bangalore Test completely derailed the main issue.

Ironically for days together the cricket experts, commentators and writers et al went to town discussing the Decision Review System. To begin with, no one asked for the DRS and the procedure was not in operation.

Some critics decided that it was a case of Smith versus Kohli. While others thought it was an issue between BCCI and ICC. Cricket connoisseurs around the country were quite aghast to find that the primary consideration was blown off in the whirlwind of one-upmanship.

Thanks to repeated television coverage everyone saw that the Indians appealed for a leg before wicket decision against Smith and the umpire ruled in India’s favour. Smith looked towards his non-striking partner for his view. The non-striker gestured to him to look towards the Australian dressing room to confirm the decision.

 Accordingly Smith did look towards the Australian dressing room as both Kohli and umpire Llong rushed towards him to warn him that it was against the spirit of the game.

It goes without saying that what Smith did was against all norms and codes of cricket. Thankfully Smith apologized as did his batting partner for their misdemeanor.

BCCI sent a note to ICC as a charge as is the procedure. But within a few days BCCI withdrew the charge as well!

Here the point to note is that the umpires should have laid a serious charge against Smith for what he did. And on receiving the charge the match referee would have acted on it and penalized the Australian captain.

Whether Smith has apologized or not is not an issue at all. Why the umpires refrained from raising a charge is the primary and the only issue. A conscientious match referee would have asked the umpires to put up a charge and acted on it.

If some people have seen the shadow of racism in the outcome I personally cannot blame them because over the years the ‘white’ players have got away with murder. If an Indian cricketer had done something similar hell would have been created.

 No ‘white’ critic has found any serious fault in Smith’s behavior. This typically racist approach is an obvious off-shoot from a group that includes Darren Lehman, the Aussie coach. Lehman, if one cares to remember, was charged for making a serious racist allegation in the past.

Neither the umpires nor the match referee have been hauled up for avoiding their respective responsibilities. This is a matter of serious concern. Is this also a case of racism to save the failures of ‘white’ match officials?

                                             

India's acceptance of DRS

Would like to highlight two cricket issues for genuine cricket followers. One on India’s acceptance of DRS and the other on ‘ball going out of shape’.

After retirement from active cricket, Sachin Tendulkar has had a rethink regarding the functioning of the Decision Review System (DRS).Today he has acknowledged that the DRS may be accepted. This is indeed strange. All along during his playing career he was insistent that the DRS should not be allowed.

DRS, as all cricket followers are aware, is for the players on the field to request the field umpires to refer their own decision to the 3^rd umpire for a review. In other words, the team which is unhappy with the field umpire’s original decision can appeal again for the 3^rd umpire to take another look at the original decision.

 The 3^rd umpire on his part takes his time to have a good look at the incident from various camera angles. He has the advantage of observing umpteenth replays on the television screen in the privacy of his own room. Then he conveys the final decision through the use of lights or through the field umpires.

 Both the batting and the fielding sides have recourse to two positive decisions. That means if the team is successful in its appeal for a review, then the scope to appeal remains at two as before. But if not successful, then the scope to appeal is reduced by one. Whether batting or bowling, no team can have more than two unsuccessful appeals.

 India and Sri Lanka were the first nations involved when the functioning of the DRS came into operation in 2008. But the Indians were not happy with some of the decisions going them. They had every right to feel hurt. If the system adopted is not in proper order, why should we accept it all?

Sachin Tendulkar’s and his mates contention all along was that hot-spot, snicko-meter and ball tracking devices were not hundred per cent foolproof. Hence there was no reason to adopt a system that that had inherent flaws in it. Sachin’s view, later endorsed by skipper Dhoni, was accepted by BCCI. BCCI informed ICC that India would not accept the DRS in any of its series, whether at home and abroad.

So powerful was the Indian lobby at the ICC at the time that the latter immediately complied with BCCI’s wish. Thus cricket around the world came to be played under various special regulations. While other Test-playing nations accepted to play with the DRS in operation, in matches involving India the DRS was dropped!

There are of course many pros and cons about the system. This is not the platform to discuss its merits and demerits. Suffice is to say that BCCI’s recent change of heart has confounded the cricket followers.

Personally I have always felt that DRS, if accepted at all, should be restricted between the umpires only. If an umpire has any doubt about any decision, the concerned umpire should refer to the 3^rd umpire on his own and ask him to review the appeal. In that way the field-umpire would get the clarification and the correct version. There should not be scope for any appeal from any player whether batsman or bowler.

The player’s job is to appeal just once and wait for the umpire’s decision. The umpire’s job is to adjudicate. For adjudication the umpire may take the help of the 3^rd umpire as and when he wants to. Moreover there should not be any restriction in number of reviews. Why should the review be restricted to just two per innings? An umpire, whenever in doubt, should be able to take the assistance of the 3^rd umpire without any numerical restrictions.

The business of allowing the players to have the recourse to a 2^nd appeal is ridiculous in the extreme. The sooner it is done away with, the better it would be for all concerned. The time has come for the former Test stars in the technical committees to go deep into the issue with their thinking caps on.

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Recently received a very thought-provoking piece from a passionate cricket follower, Col SK Bose. Mr Bose happens to be the director of the Chaitanya Jyoti Museum, Prasanthi Nilyam at  Puttaparthi. I thought of sharing his view with other lovers of the game.

BALL GOING OUT OF SHAPE

            A common sight in cricket matches at all levels is a ball going out of shape.  The bowler carries the ball to the umpire, who consults his colleague and both wise men agree that the ball has indeed gone out of shape and needs to be changed.  Whereupon old balls are brought and the wise men make their decision and another ball is handed to the bowler and the action resumes.

            I remember an occasion, some fifty years back, when the peerless Pearson Surita, the prince among radio commentators, observed that the batsman had more to fear when a ball went out of shape.  The bowler should exult and not protest.  When the ball goes out of shape, it indicates that its centre of gravity has shifted.  The consequences are difficult to predict because nobody has given the matter sufficient thought, but one thing is certain that the trajectory of the ball will be altered in an unforeseen manner.  I am sure that there would be a plethora of ‘out-of-shape’ balls in any cricket centre.  What is needed is a study carried out at the earliest with various seam positions, including the ‘Barnes’ ball.  Old timers would recall the incomparable Sidney Barnes delivering a ball with the seam horizontal, which bamboozled the best of batsmen.  He could make a ball swing away in flight and come in sharply off the pitch.  He still holds the record of 49 wkts in a series of 5 tests, in which he missed one Test Match. 

            I feel this study would throw up unexpected and unforeseen results.  I feel that a number of cricket centres could carry out their own studies.  It should be overseen by competent coaches, who could correctly evaluate the results.  Such studies could open up vast possibilities. 

I personally feel the observations are very original. I am sure conscientious cricket lovers would appreciate it as much as I did. Thank you, Boseda.

Dhyan Chand

                                        

Dhyan Chand

Which genius was as modest as Sachin is? Which star was called ‘dada’ by his mates as Sourav is? None else but Dhyan Chand, our first champion, who firmly placed India on the sports map of the world.

Sobriquets like ‘wizard’, ‘magician’ followed his exploits. His non-conformist techniques staggered the world. On himself, however, he was a martinet. The army subedar’s strong principles and sense of patriotism bordered on lunacy. When Adolf Hitler offered him a Field Marshall’s post to have him over in Germany, he politely declined. Dhyan Chand was an ardent Indian patriot, who could not visualize serving anybody but his motherland.

Today when under the pretext of professionalism, eminent people do unpatriotic acts, Dhyan Chand’s actions appear to be far-fetched. At a time when he was in dire financial straits, Australia offered him a coaching assignment. Again Dhyan Chand refused to go because he felt that if his coaching led to Australia defeating India, he would not be able to hide in shame! This was the kind of selfless spirit and soul that the great man possessed.

He sacrificed financial security for himself and his family for the cause of his motherland. In these days of match-fixing and bribery, Dhyan Chand would appear to be of unsound mind. In truth, he was just the opposite. Actually he exemplified the real difference between a thorough professional and a low mercenary.

For a genius, he was too much of a team man. He had a wide repertoire of hockey skills, but he never played to the gallery. On the contrary he used his varied skills for the benefit of his mates and his country. No unsavoury incident affected him. Every obstacle appeared to inspire him to further laurels. He was indeed an unusual champion. A glorious role-model in any walk of life.

On his first trip with the India team in 1926 to Australia, his artistry made him a celebrity as he scored more than 100 goals and helped others to convert many more. But the India captaincy eluded him both in 1928 and in 1932 Olympics. Because he was a ‘commoner’ by birth.

But by Berlin Olympic in 1936 the crown was deservingly on him. With or without the crown, he was the king of the game. Despite 3 gold medals in 3 Olympics, he and his mates made no financial gains as in those days the amateur ideals were very strictly enforced at the Olympics.

The World War II shortened his career. Nevertheless his undoubted genius was acknowledged far and wide. His statue came up in Vienna.  India accorded him the Padma Bhushan and a postage stamp too was issued to honour him. In 1995 a statue was installed at New Delhi, the first of any Indian sportsman. His birthday, 29^th August, is celebrated as the national sports day.

On the Padma Bhushan presentation day, Prime Minister Nehru asked him, “Dada, you have so many medals. Please give me one so that I can also put it on my chest and look like a sportsman.”  Modestly, Dhyan Chand replied, “Panditji, on you only the rose looks good.” Such was his sense of honour and cheerful approach. He did not believe in gifting away hard-earned awards to people who did not earn them. Can you imagine any sportsman today refusing the PM’s request in such a cheerful manner?

Dhyan Chand was a natural gentleman. A genius. An ambassador in the best sense of the term. He was a hermit who lived the life of a chivalrous knight. High on principles, discipline and self-respect. A person who exuded gentleness on and off the field. A professional, but not a mercenary. A sage of a sportsman.

Fidel Castro’s love for sports           

Fidel Castro was a pioneer in the field of sports in the modern world. As with the Greeks in ancient times, Castro was the first of the contemporary world political leaders who realized the value, the art, the appeal, the enthusiasm and the advantages of sports.

 Under his command, sports became a compulsory subject for every school-going child in a country of nearly 90% literacy. He encouraged the elderly to take part in chess. The modern-day popularity of walks can be traced to his influence.

The best example of his contribution to sports is exemplified by the thrice Olympic gold medal-winning boxer Felix Savon Favre.  Felix was born in Castro’s Cuba, never left the shores of his small island, trained under Cuban coaches and with local facilities. Yet was the undisputed Olympic champion for three consecutive times in 1992, 1996 and 2000. Opponents shuddered to square up to him in the heavy-weight ring. Once after the knock-out punch, he modestly claimed, “Cuba has won, not me.” Similar have been the legendary exploits of numerous Cuban sportsmen under the care of Castro’s regime.

Unfortunately Fidel Castro never received the acknowledgement due to him. The primary reason was that never compromised at the feet of the world powers. His courage and conviction made him an outcaste. The volatile, handsome personality was a singular person, as he had once said, “I prefer being in the majority of one.”

May 1977. London House, the residence of students of School of Oriental & African Studies (SOAS). My friend Udayan Mukherji and I were in the company of a youth from Cuba. He had left his native land during the revolution and had gone to USA to seek a future for himself. Studied hard, did odd jobs and earned his degree in political science. Now he was well-settled and had come to UK for the first time.

While discussing the Cuban revolution, he kept harping on the influence of sports in his island nation. He kept saying that they were the best in the world at boxing, baseball and basketball. For a student of international relations to have such an exalted opinion of sports drew my attention. Here was someone speaking spontaneously without bothering to create any impression on his listeners.

Now after nearly 40 years, I can vaguely recollect our acquaintance’s name. But I distinctly remember that he mentioned that Teofilo Stevenson was a neighbour of his. That made me still more curious about the man.

 For those who are not into the world of boxing, Teofilo Stevenson was the undisputed Olympic champion in 1972 and 1976 in the heavy weight category. Later in 1980 yet again he had the gold medal around his neck. He happens to be one of the forgotten legends of the Olympic movement. His only fault being that he belonged to the ‘low-profile’ nation of Cuba.

While on Stevenson, it would be an injustice to the outstanding sportsman if his famous quote is not mentioned. Once when asked as to why he did not join the professional ring and make millions fighting Muhammed Ali and company, the man merely shook his head and uttered, “What is a million dollars’ worth compared to the love of eight million Cubans.” He never left his homeland. Shades of our own Dhyan Chand and Tensing Norgay, who refused to earn fame and fortune abroad.

We have digressed. Back to the company of our acquaintance at SOAS. Now qualified and settled, he longed to go back to his motherland. But was apprehensive of how he would be able to resettle in a communist country. Throughout the discussion he was thrilled to find that Udayan and I were quite aware of the overthrow of the dictator Batista, of the Cuban revolution, of Fidel Castro and, of course, our hero of those days, Che Guevara.

Fidel Castro was a statesman with a difference. He had a genuine love and regard for sports and sportspeople. Not the kind of annual cricket jamboree of our parliamentarians at New Delhi. Mao Tse Tung was known to have swam across broad rivers. Many British premiers have played cricket in their school and university days.  But Castro was probably the first to understand the mass appeal of sports. He once claimed that a healthy nation consists of healthy individuals.

 He did not use sports merely as a vehicle of propaganda as East Germany, Soviet Russia and Communist China had done. No, there was a distinct difference. He did not concentrate on elite sports. On the contrary he made physical education compulsory for every primary school child along with academics. Even elderly people were encouraged to take part in indoor games, particularly chess. He believed in competition certainly, but more importantly he wanted his people to take active part in non-competitive contests for the sake of health. The lawyer turned revolutionary turned political leader was certainly way ahead of his times in this respect.

Fidel Castro infused a sense of pride in his countrymen about Cuba’s sports performance at the international level. On the international sports arena he took great delight in the achievements of his fellow men particularly at athletics, boxing, basketball and baseball. According to Robert Huish, professor of international development studies, the deep respect the Cubans have for their sportspersons is reflected in the story relating to Javier Sotomayor.

Javier Sotomayor is an unique sportsperson. He is the only human being to have soared eight feet in the high jump. It is believed that the Cubans marked the height of his jumps in their doorways as he toppled one world record after another. When Alberto Juantorena (400 m and 800 m gold in the 1976 Olympic) galloped around the track, other athletes merely gaped in awe and wonder. Castro’s Cubans had cast a spell on world sports.

No other political leader can match Fidel Castro love and respect for sports. Sports symbolized Cuba’s strength, self respect and pride. How good was he at sports himself? There have been apocryphal stories of Castro’s dexterity at sports. It is said that he was very adept at baseball for he was known to have been pictured with his bat raised. He was also supposed to be an excellent pitcher. But Castro himself revealed the truth, “Never became a champion. Never had the time to practise much.”

Our SOAS acquaintance told us that Fidel Castro’s prime interest as a broad-shouldered, 6-feet-3 was in basketball. The broad-shouldered, 6-feet-3 physique had immense strength, speed in his movements and ability to think fast. Till his last breath he spoke of his love for sports. The outstanding political personality really appreciated the power of sports, which happens to be war without weapons.

Fidel Castro belonging to the unfashionable nation of Cuba never really received the acclaim he deserved. He became a rogue to the world because certain section of the powerful media tarred his image. But his ever-lasting contribution to sports cannot be erased from the annals of sports history. The phenomenal performances of his countrymen have etched his contribution to sports in stone.

 

 

                                      

                                       

 On BCCI’s Birth & Functioning                  

The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI), situated in the heart of Mumbai, is the Vatican of the Cricket Religion in India. Cricketers of all hues worship at its altar and follow its tenets to the last letter. Wide and deep as its popularity is, the independent institution perpetually highlights that its prime cause is all for India’s national interest.

Since public interest is the prime factor, BCCI officials should not feel upset with the appointment of special auditors as directed by the Supreme Court. In fact, they should actually welcome the presence of external auditors and financial experts to look into their books of accounts. Nothing so sanctimonious about BCCI’s functioning that it cannot come under the Right to Information Act of the country.

As responsible citizens of the nation the BCCI officials should have no qualms in accepting the dictates of the highest arbiter of justice in the land. This is an ideal way for them to show the people of India how honest and sincere they have been in handling public money. This is a great opportunity for them to prove to their critics that they are honest men of exemplary credentials.

BCCI has always been an institution full of very wealthy and influential people. Hopefully we can regard such people to be of unimpeachable integrity as far as financial dealings are concerned. They are responsible citizens of India and are fully aware that the bullions and billions that they deal in every day belong not to their own selves but to those honest lovers of Indian cricket around the globe.

This is a grand opportunity for each and every cricket administrator in India, who invariably works in an honorary capacity, to reveal to the world at large how generous he has been to devote so much of time and attention to cricket for no financial gains. This is an exposure that he should welcome with thanksgiving to whoever he wishes to. An ideal platform to prove that his true intent is all for our delight and the progress of the game.

The name Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) is very appropriately coined. Yes, it is a BOARD that is very exclusive; a close-knit brotherhood. It CONTROLS every aspect of CRICKET in INDIA. What a great service this close-knit group is doing for the betterment of cricket in this vast sub-continent of ours.  This board is genuinely united. Hardly ever can they be accused of anything but unanimity. Every association member is ready and willing to oblige the power that holds the reins. No uncomfortable questions are asked; no unnecessary time is lost. Everyone seems to be happy in their own cozy world of dollars and dreams.

Some critics have condemned BCCI for not involving the north-eastern states of Manipur, Meghalaya, Mizoram, Nagaland and Arunachal Pradesh into the cricket mainstream. But these cynics conveniently forget that the state of Maharashtra was gifted 3 teams (Maharashtra, Vidarbha and Bombay) as was the state of Gujarat (Saurashtra, Baroda and Gujarat). Even Andhra Pradesh has 2 teams (Hyderabad and Andhra Pradesh).

Clubs like National Cricket Club and Cricket Club of India, who do not take part in first-class cricket championships, were adequately compensated with voting rights for whatever reasons. Institutional teams like Services, Universities and Railways are also represented. No one can lay the charge that BCCI did not promote cricket. They did. So concerned were they with the huge land mass of the sub-continent that their orbit did not quite reach the obscure corners of India’s north-east.

BCCI, most unfortunately, is still in a dilemma about its place and date of birth. It appears that BCCI has not paid adequate attention to its ancestry while being in pursuit of cricket promotion. Various sources have claimed its origin to be 1928; others have stuck to 1929. Some feel Bombay should be regarded as the birth-place while others opt for Delhi.

The authentic fact, however, is etched in rock that India did not have a cricket board in the summer of 1926 when Reginald Lagden, a former cricketer himself, of Calcutta Cricket Club (CCC) had sent an invitation to Lord Harris of Marylebone Cricket Club (MCC) through his emissaries – William Currie and Murray Robertson – to send a team to India the following winter.

The main sponsorship and organization came from the Bengal Gymkhana, a conglomeration of local Calcutta clubs which was established in 1909. Later in February 1928 Bengal Gymkhana merged into a full-fledged association, the Cricket Association of Bengal & Assam. Thus CAB came into existence in February 1928, even before the existence of BCCI.

 Former England captain Lord Harris, as a former governor of Bombay Presidency in the 1890s, was well acquainted with the Indian cricket scenario, especially with the pioneering work of CCC. He was a great patron of Indian cricket and an influential man both at MCC and ICC. He welcomed the two CCC members with open arms and confirmed MCC’s tour of India in the winter of 1926 to play several matches including two unofficial tests against an All-India XI.

Although India had no central cricket board at the time, the magnanimous visionary Lord Harris even allowed the two CCC members to sit in the ICC (then Imperial Cricket Conference) deliberations as India’s representatives in the summer of 1926 giving India an exalted position in the cricket hierarchy. Most appropriately, Wisden Cricketers’ Almanack regards 1926 to be India’s admission year at ICC.

Lord Harris accepted CCC’s invitation and sent a MCC team under Arthur Gilligan to India in the winter of 1926-27. At the time CCC was a bastion of British expatriates based at Calcutta’s Eden Gardens. CCC along with Bengal Gymkhana, Buchi Babu of Madras, Bombay Gymkhana and various other clubs as well as the princely patrons around the country, most prominent being the Maharaja Bhupindra Singh of Patiala, sponsored and helped to make the MCC tour of 1926-27 a great success. BCCI was yet to be born and obviously had no role in it.

So impressed was the MCC captain Arthur Gilligan –a gentleman of impeccable credentials and vision –with the standard of Indian cricketers and the facilities available in the major cities that he went back and prevailed upon the MCC authorities at Lord’s to involve India in official Test matches without any delay. At the time, apart from Australia and England, teams representing South Africa, West Indies and New Zealand formed the pentagon of Test cricket.

MCC’s 1926-27 visit under Gilligan was an eye-opener to the princely states around the sub-continent. Gilligan broached to them the idea that the country must have a formal board and not be solely reliant on individual donors for all its future cricket programmes. This casual interaction took place at Roshanara Club (named after Aurangzeb’s sister) in Delhi in November 1927 where he met Bhupindra Singh Maharaja of Patiala, Delhi-based businessman RE Grant-Govan and his employee Anthony D’Mello.

The rajas, the zamindars and the nawabs as well as the British businessmen were quick to realize that the game of cricket would help them to come close to the ruling Britons and curry favours. This was the genesis from which began the quest of having a national cricket board.

That same month another informal discussion of some keen cricket lovers of India took place at Delhi, where the prominent cricket centres of Calcutta, Bombay and Madras were notable absentees. Present at the Delhi convention were Bhupindra Singh Maharaja of Patiala, Bhopal, Gwalior, Alwar and Baroda. Grant-Govan and D’Mello had organized the meeting.

Following year in April 1928, at Bombay Indian cricket received its first genuine cradle in the formal form of a provisional Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI). A meeting was arranged by Grant-Govan and D’Mello to help in drafting the constitution. Alec Hosie, a prominent cricketer, attended on behalf of CCC and CAB which had already come into existence in February 1928. This was a provisional Board, where the following associations were present: Bombay, Madras, Central Provinces, Patiala, Calcutta Cricket Club, Rajinder Gymkhana Patiala, Roshanara Club Delhi and the Kathiawar State.

At this provisional meeting a draft of the constitution was prepared and kept aside for further discussion. It was decided that the headquarters would be at Delhi and at least 10 territorial teams of elected representatives would be required to form a Board.

Later in December 1928 again the cricket representatives met again at Bombay. Only six territorial regions –Bengal, Southern Punjab, Sind, Delhi, Northern India and Madras – with elected representatives were available Although the quorum of a minimum of 10 was not achieved, Grant-Govan and his assistant Anthony D’Mello prevailed upon the available elected representatives to become the first president and secretary of the Board themselves. They readily agreed to make Bombay the headquarters instead of Delhi as per the earlier decision.

The native gymkhanas of Bombay, who had done so much for the progress of Indian cricket in the previous 50 years, did not attend the meeting nor did they send a representative. None from CCC attended this important meeting.

The Board came into being without the presence of people who actually did the groundwork for India’s entry into ICC! The Board was formed without the presence of men who had nursed Indian cricket on the maidans of Bombay for 50 years! An irony, indeed, if ever there was one.

 The Board actually came into being by not following its own rules of having a minimum of 10 founder members! Even today BCCI is uncertain of its actual date of birth. It claims 1928 in some sources, 1929 in others!

 Moreover from the very first day, the Board started its innings with a flawed account. Jockeying for positions reached such proportions that the great patron of Indian cricket, Bhupindra Singh, the Maharaja of Patiala, stayed out of the politicking. Compromises and conspiracies held the upper-hand. Businessmen, politicians, zamindars in the guise of rajas and little-known nawabs came into limelight overnight by virtue of holding posts at the newly formed BCCI.

However, BCCI was extremely fortunate to have had the support of the Viceroy of India, Lord Willingdon. The governor of Bombay, Lord Brabourne, was another who was always ready with all kinds of assistance for the promotion of cricket in India. Both were cricket fanatics and helped Indian cricket in the formative years of the 1930s.  

From the very inception of BCCI, it was fettered by petty considerations and inflated egos. Provincial, communal and class bias were apparent at every step. The fact that Calcutta’s British expatriates had taken the initiative to put India on the ICC map did not go down too well with the people of Delhi or with western States of India, who were the backbone of Indian cricket at the time.

Here it is relevant to point out that the Parsee community leaders of Bombay were very actively engaged in Indian cricket at the time as was Bhupindra Singh, the Maharaja of Patiala. But these men did not wish to canvas or cajole for holding posts in the BCCI. Relishing the opportunity, the busy-body D’Mello (fore-runner to other jugglers years later) got himself nominated as the first secretary and saw to it that his employer Grant-Govan become the first president of BCCI. In utter disgust, Lagden and Hosie of CCC kept themselves aloof from the machinations at work.

In 1932 BCCI was adventurous enough to send a team to England to play India’s first-ever Test. In the winter of 1933-34 an official England team (then MCC) was hosted in India. The first three Tests were held at Bombay Gymkhana, Eden Gardens and Chepauk. At the time the domestic inter-state cricket in India had not started. A communal tournament involving Europeans, Parsees, Hindus and Muslims was organized under the nomenclature of Quadrangular Tournament at Bombay and Poona.

 Initially the members of BCCI were from the presidency regions and from princely states. With every advancing year since its inception in 1929, BCCI made gains in terms of numbers. Gradually the other political and institutional entities began to infiltrate into the cricket mainstream. By 1934, BCCI was strong enough in terms of numerical strength and funds to commence its first cricket tournament at the all-India level. That was the beginning of the Ranji Trophy, when the actual trophy was donated by the Maharaja of Patiala, Bhupindra Singh, in memory of the legendary England batsman of Indian birth, Kumar Shri Ranjitsinhji, the Jam Saheb of Nawanagar.

Ironically Cricket Association of Bengal & Assam, which happens to be the first cricket association to be formed in the country in 1928, did not take part in the inaugural year of Ranji Trophy in 1934-35.Central India, Central Provinces & Berar, Northern India, Army, United Provinces, Delhi, Southern Punjab, Madras, Mysore, Hyderabad, Western India, Sind, Bombay, Gujarat and Maharashtra took part in the first season.

Madras and Mysore played the opening match on a rain-affected pitch which was over in one day! Bombay went on win the knock-out championship, a feature they were to continue with dreary routine. Bombay’s domination of Indian cricket began from the very first day.

With the independence of the nation, the abolition of princely states, the reorganization of state boundaries and the advent of newly-named states the membership of BCCI has undergone huge transformations over the years. Holkar and Nawanagar, two prime princely provinces which gave steel to the foundation of BCCI in the early days of 1930s, had to forego their pre-eminent status. Rajputana was similarly affected. As were Kathiawar and Travancore-Cochin. Baroda and Hyderabad, however, survived.

The situation became progressively complex and confusing. Whereas England had inter-county, Australia had inter-state and West Indies inter-island, in India as with Pakistan the first-class environment had no definite distinction. Names like Berar, Central Provinces vanished into thin air. Vidarbha and Saurashtra, although not states, came into reckoning. Institutional teams came into limelight. In time Assam left Bengal while Bihar and Orissa created their own associations. Tripura followed much later in the 1980s. Later Jharkhand and now Chattisgarh are in the broad picture.

To prove its worth and worthy credentials, the present-day BCC administrators should be happy that the Supreme Court has taken the initiative to put the system within a logical framework. BCCI, which has done wonders for cricket in India, should be relieved to lay bare its accounts to the special auditors appointed under SC orders for at least 30 years when ‘big money’ began to flow into Indian cricket from the mid 1980s. Why should one hesitate when there is nothing to hide? Why resort to delaying tactics and create suspicions about one’s credibility?

 States which have utilized the funds from the BCCI coffers for the promotion of the game would be delighted to present their dusty ledgers to the powers-that-be. States which organize nurseries, tournaments and camps at the district, school and college levels would be proud to show off their achievements. States which have developed grounds and stadia would be very comfortable with their new-found status. States which promote women’s cricket would be happy to reveal their figures. States which have honorarium, pension and medical insurance schemes for their senior players would be glad to bask in the limelight.

 Worthy cricket administrators of integrity would walk with their head held high. The nation would salute them for their magnificent selfless service for the cause of cricket. Since one is innocent, why should one worry about the morrow?

Let BCCI’s books of accounts and financial dealings be an open book for the world of sport to follow. Let BCCI’s transparency be a role model for the corruption-filled world of modern sports.

               

   Wriddhiman Saha and Test Cricketers from Bengal

When prominent cricketers and established cricket writers rated Wriddhiman Saha as the best wicket-keeper in the world, a new chapter was added to the history of Bengal cricket. Never before has a Test cricketer from Bengal been regarded as the best in the world.

Pankaj Roy was a prolific performer for India in the 1950s. As an opener he added 2442 notches to the nation’s run kitty for a healthy average of 33 with five centuries. Roy also held the world first-wicket record of 413 runs with Vinoo Mankad for decades. He did great service for India and received due recognition.

So did Sourav Ganguly more than three decades later. Ganguly performed brilliantly as a batsman. More so as an exceptional leader of Team India. His polished stroke-play fetched 7212 runs in 113 Tests at a distinguished average of 42 with 16 Test centuries. As an opener in over-limit cricket he was consistency personified.

Roy led India in a Test match at Lord’s in 1959 whereas Ganguly was truly outstanding as a leader of men. His phenomenal success as captain both at home and abroad made a huge impression among the connoisseurs of cricket.

But neither Roy nor Ganguly was ever ranked among the best players in their respective eras. That honour was destined for Wriddhiman Saha, the wicket-keeper-batsman who was in the India skipper Dhoni’s shadow for quite a while.

With Dhoni’s retirement from the Test arena, Saha earned the opportunity to show-case his talents. Donning the gloves on regular outings, Saha’s actual worth was laid bare to the world at large. The quiet, composed gentleman went about his task in his own inimitable way. He was the ultimate professional in the most appropriate meaning of the word. His peers and critics were delighted to see the excellence that he achieved without any fuss or mannerisms. He made wicket-keeping look like a walk in the park. His effortless glove-work reminded genuine followers of the game of Alan Knott and Bob Taylor; and old timers of Don Tallon.

 Neat and relaxed; effective and effortless Saha took us back to the golden age when wicket-keeping was a specialist’s job. In the last two decades too many gloved men have masqueraded as wicket-keepers at cricket with disastrous results. In the multi-day Test matches, pretenders have been exposed totally.

In an era when a wicket-keeper’s ability is considered secondary to his batting skills, Wriddhiman is a glorious exception. He has made it to the Test XI by virtue of his splendid glove-work. Although he is an excellent batsman, he still prefers his wicket-keeping to do the talking for him. The specialist wicket-keeper has never compromised on his wicket-keeping skills, in spite of misguided advice to do the contrary. This faith in himself is his real strength.

Recently this year Wriddhiman Saha has been rated to be the best in the business by his peers and critics around the world. Some cynics, of whom there is no dearth in India, would claim that these rankings are entirely subjective and have no firm basis. Most certainly, ratings such as these have no statistical standard of evaluation. These are basically based on one’s personal impression and well-considered opinion.

However, what is to be noted is that the opinion is based not on hearsay or media publicity. The judgement is made by hardened professional cricketers and journalists who do not need to favour or fear anyone. They evaluate on the basis of actually what they see on the cricket field. They rely entirely on their experience and knowledge; impressions and integrity. Outstanding former cricketers, including the no-nonsense Aussie Ricky Ponting, have no reason to go overboard in their praise of a low-profile and composed personality as Saha is.

To be rated as the best in the world is a unique achievement by any yardstick of evaluation. Saha’s elevation to the summit is indeed a feather in the cap of Bengal cricket. In the last 85 years of Test cricket Bengal has presented the nation with no less than 18 players, twelve of whom were locally nurtured and the other six infiltrated from other states for greener pastures. But Bengal’s very own Saha happens to be the only one –a product of Siliguri, nestling in the foothills of Darjeeling – to have received the unofficial title of numer uno of world cricket.

The first cricketer to have played Test cricket from Bengal was not Sarobindu Nath ‘Shute’ Banerjee, as CAB’s ‘roll of honour’ would make one believe. The former Bengal cricketer Shute Banerjee was representing Bihar when he made his official Test debut at the age of 37 against West Indies at Brabourne in 1948-49. Despite capturing 5 wickets he was never selected to play for India again!

Earlier in 1947-48, Prabir ‘Khokon’ Sen went with Lala Amarnath’s  India team to Australia. He went as the reserve keeper with Jamshed Khudadad Irani playing in the first two Tests. In the 3^rd Test at Melbourne, Sen made his debut becoming the first from Bengal to play in official Test cricket. Sen went on to play 14 Tests and was instrumental in India’s first-ever Test victory in 1951-52 against England (then MCC) at Chennai (then Madras). He stumped 5 batters, all off the mercurial all-rounder Vinoo Mankad.

After Sen, the next player to play Test from Bengal was Sudhangshu ‘Montu’ Banerjee, a superlative exponent of swing bowling. His first appearance for India was at Eden Gardens against John Goddard’s West Indies in 1948-49. Banerjee castled Denis Atkinson in his first over and went on to capture 5 wickets in the match. But, believe it or not, he was never selected to represent his country again. His debut and his swansong coincided.

In the following Test at Madras, Nirode ‘Putu’ Chowdhury, the medium pacer with a deceptive bounce, became the third from Bengal in the Test arena. Chowdury’s Shoaib-Akhtar like bent-arm action horrified the purists and his career did not prolong beyond two Tests.

Prominent performers from other regions like Vinoo Mankad, Dattu Phadkar and CS Nayudu played in Tests for India while giving service to Bengal in Ranji Trophy. Mankad in 1948-49 played in five Tests, while Nayudu one in 1951-52 and Phadkar in eight between 1954 and 1956.

Between 1951 and 1961 Pankaj Roy dominated the scenario both for Bengal and India. In his 43 Tests the gutsy opener faced the lightning fury and wrath of Fred Trueman, Alec Bedser, Brian Statham, Allan Davidson, Fazal Mahmood, Wesley Hall, Roy Gilchrist among others with his head held high. He was the epitome of courage and concentration. He did Bengal and India proud with his exceptional application for the cause of the team.

Unfortunately when Roy was still in his prime he was omitted from the national team. The West Indies pace bowlers –Roy Gilchrist, Chester Watson, Charlie Stayers and Lester King – who had come to play in India’s domestic tournaments in the early 1960s were unanimous in saying that Pankaj Roy was still the best Indian batsman against genuine pace.

After Roy, it was the turn of Subroto Guha and Ambar Roy to hold the banner of Bengal in international cricket. Both were outstanding performers in the domestic level, but did not do justice to their talents at the international stage. Both figured in 4 Tests each in the late 1960s.

 Guha had just 3 wickets at a bowling average of 103 and never looked the part. Neither was Ambar Roy, Pankaj’s nephew. Ambar scored a mere 92 runs at 13 and never appeared to be comfortable. But in his debut match at Nagpur against New Zealand he played a whirlwind innings or 48 with 11 boundaries.

Then followed a decade when the Bengal cricketers did extremely well but went unrepresented at the official Test level. In 1979 at the age of 32, Dilip Doshi came into limelight with the India captain Sunil Gavaskar specifically opting for his inclusion. Doshi did not disappoint. His maturity and pragmatism helped him to stay on course for 33 Tests till 1983. His 113 wickets, mainly on the docile pitches of the 1980s, reveal the man’s exceptional spinning ability and determination against odds.

In the early 1980s Pankaj Roy’s son Pronob represented India in 2 Tests scoring 71 runs. Around the same time, another import from out-station was Delhi’s Arunlal. The determined opener finished his career of 16 Tests with an average of 26. Former Test batsman Ashok Malhotra from Haryana (7 Tests at 25) also arrived in Bengal in the 1980s. But he never played in Tests while representing Bengal, although CAB credits him of having done so.

The summer of 1996 heralded a new dawn in Bengal cricket. Sourav Ganguly went to England with Azharuddin’s team. Circumstances conspired to put the 24 year old at number 3 for India in the Lord’s Test. Ganguly took up the challenge in a magnificent manner scoring centuries on his debut and followed it up with another at Trent Bridge. Without any semblance of doubt he happens to be the most successful of all the Bengal cricketers at the international level. Reams have been written on him to require any further elaboration.

While Ganguly was doing wonders, Devang Gandhi (4 Tests at 34) and wicket-keeper Deep Dasgupta (8 Tests at 29; 13 victims) enjoyed short careers at the international level. Another import was Saba Karim. During the course of his debut against Bangladesh he had problems with his vision and did not get the opportunity to last the whole match. In his only innings he managed 13 and took one catch.

Saha made his debut under strange circumstances. He played his first match as a batsman and created an excellent impression with his batting and fielding skills. Since then he has been a regular reserve bench player. A perpetual under-study to his captain. Most pragmatically, he kept his mouth shut and his ears and eyes open. Today with every opportunity he is proving him his worth in no uncertain terms.

In 2013 Saha got Shami Ahmed for company in the India team. Although Shami made his debut in Test from Bengal, his early years were spent in Uttar Pradesh. He happens to be yet another migrant in the Bengal line-up.

Today Bengal can take pride in having two players in the India XI. Both are doing well in their respective jobs. But Wriddhiman’s exceptional glove-work has placed him on a very high pedestal. He has achieved a position no other Bengal player has yet done at the Test level.

Wriddhiman Saha’s character is best exemplified by the fact that he has not forgotten his early coach at Siliguri, Jayanta Bhowmik. Although he is exposed to various well-meaning coaches today, Saha is truthful enough to accept that the person who knows him the best is the portly opener who first showed him the basics and helped him to reach the pinnacle. Kudos to his coach Jayanta for not following the herd instinct of placing batsmanship above the specialist skills of a wicket-keeper.

 Saha’s manner and speech on and off the field have been exemplary. He has proved to all Indians that even an obscure town in North Bengal can produce world champions. He is an ideal role model for our young talents.