While I don’t think Indo-Pak issues are so trivial that they can be taped over by cricket matches, the following is a refreshing read amidst all the jingoism.
**The day Sunny had a go at Javed **
By Yajurvindra Sinh
The burning issue regarding the resumption of the India-Pakistan cricket ties takes me back to the 1970s, when the great Pakistan cricketers freely interacted with us and came to the shores of India, not to earn but to give. The beneficiaries were some of our leading cricketers like Dilip Sardesai, Abbas Ali Baig, Divecha, DK Gaekwad. The several evenings and train rides spent together had moments of such empathy and togetherness. Debates between Mushtaq, Intiqab Alam and Bishan Bedi on spin bowling and Zaheer Abbas, Imran Khan and Sunil Gavaskar on cricket strategies were enthralling and riveting.
The respect that cricketers from both the countries have for one another is so deep-rooted and genuine that the competitive adrenalin flows only when one plays against each other. If Pakistan is playing against any other nation, we support them and marvel at some of their individual performances.
How can I forget the great Sarfaraz Nawaz bowling to me in the nets on the morning of the 1979 Oval Test match. His prime reason was for me to get used to the moving ball to enable me face the English bowlers. He showed me how an old battered ball could be swung – my first experience of what is now popularly called ‘Reverse Swing’. Fortunately, I did well and his efforts did not go waste. Here was one of the most dreaded cricketers with a heart of gold where Asian cricket was concerned.
During the 1979 World Cup in England, to get us acclimatized to the conditions, India and Pakistan were made to play a few matches in a cold and damp Scarborough. For both the sides, this was like being sent to Siberia for capital punishment. Cricket could not be played due to rain, but camaraderie between the two teams was warm and wonderful. The peacock like strut of Imran through our dressing room, the playful banter of Javed Miandad and Wasim Raja and the mischievous, behind the scene practical jokes of Gavaskar kept all of us in high spirits.
This led to an interesting and amusing story that took place between Miandad and Gavaskar in 1978. During one of the Test matches in Pakistan, the young Miandad was verbally harassing Gavaskar. Sunil on most occasions ignored the banter and concentrated on his batting. The foxy Miandad hearing no retaliation from the great master decided that he could jabber away. He was taken by surprise when suddenly Sunil turned around and said, “Javed, when you get your first hundred overseas without your umpires, can you be entitled to talk, till then I would recommend that you keep quiet.” That shut him up, but I’m sure it was the tonic that led to his later success.
Miandad was a brilliant player. I remember bowling off spin to him during one of the warm up games. He swept me from outside the off stump to the fine leg boundary. S. Venkataraghavan, our captain, was livid and decided to give me some extra protection on the on-side. The next delivery I bowled down the leg and Miandad played a reverse sweep (the first that we all ever saw) for another four. His innovations were truly outstanding and it left a deep impression on anyone who played with or against him.
Another tale is of Imran’s battle against the technique of Gavaskar. The venue was Ahmedabad, where we were playing in Sardesai’s Benefit match. Imran and I were in the same side and he decided that if I supported him at forward short leg, he was convinced that he would get Gavaskar out on a rising delivery. I readily accepted the plan and was all set to catch Sunil’s back foot defensive shot as soon as it hit the bat. I was so close that a slight wave of his bat would have had me on a stretcher to the hospital. Here was I having faith in a Pakistan cricketer who tried everything possible to find a slight chink in Gavaskar’s impeccable technique and proved unsuccessful.
During drinks he thanked me and made a remark, which went something like this, “Is deewar ko Khuda bhi nahi hila sakta,” (even God cannot move such a wall). As cricketers we have had such intimate and lovely moments together. One such moment for me was when we played Gloucestershire. I got the wicket of Sadiq Mohamed and in came the stylish Zaheer Abbas. Bowling to him was such a pleasure, as he made runs with such grace and poise. He was on song and made every delivery of mine look so easy and getting him out looked like a remote possibility. Being overconfident, he played away from one of my deliveries, which cut in sharply (unintentionally) and he got bowled. I was overwhelmed with joy. He insisted that I accompany Sunil and others in the evening for a meal to his house for Miya and Biwi to get their revenge ‘off the field’, a true sportsman of the game.
Sports as they say is the greatest leveller. One does understand the political stance of a India–Pakistan cricket encounter, but nothing should stand between getting people such as Zaheer, Miandad, Imran, Mushtaq, Akram, etc to talk to our youngsters at the various academies. One hopes that the new Corporate Tournament that the BCCI plans to undertake next summer have some of the present Pakistan cricketers rubbing shoulders with Sachin Tendulkar, Sourav Ganguly, Rahul Dravid and that in time to come they have the same binding attachments, that we veteran cricketers have for each other even today.
How wonderful it would be to have a long partnership between Tendulkar and Inzamam and an opening bowling attack of Akram and Zaheer Khan against them. Friendship and cricket would be the winners!
URL: http://www.cricketnext.com/news1/next/reporters/rep1876.htm
