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The Magic of Indian Cricket
Salim Durrani played under Tiger’s captaincy. It was the first Test of the 1966–7 series against the West Indies at Mumbai. India, after a bad beginning, had struggled to make a decent score, with Durrani helping Borde in the rescue act. Durrani made a lovely 55, including one huge straight 6 over Charlie Griffith’s head into the CCI pavilion. If this was classic Salim, so was his dismissal, head in the air, bat askew and bowled by Sobers all over the shop. For much of the match he fielded at third man, just in front of the north stand, and throughout the innings I seem to recall him combing his hair, wearing a rather detached, vacant look. Once or twice his preoccupation with his hair led him to misfield and one could almost feel the electricity passing between the Nawab of Pataudi and Salim Durrani. India, through some bad catching and a dreadful batting collapse in the second innings, lost the Test. Durrani was one of the casualties. He was replaced by Bishan Singh Bedi. To most Indian cricket followers Bedi was unknown and to some his inclusion was seen as yet another example of the daftness of Indian cricket selection. Little did we know the magic in Bedi’s left arm. But even after we appreciated it we continued to mourn Salim, though he did not make a comeback for almost five years. By then Pataudi had been replaced by Wadekar and nothing could comfort Indian cricket for the lost years of Salim Durrani. There could be no such feeling about Abbas Ali Baig. In cricketing terms Baig came into prominence at about the same time as Pataudi and, in some ways, made even more of an impact. Baig played so well for Oxford in the 1959 season, that, when the main Indian batsman Vijay Manjrekar, had to withdraw because of a knee injury, the young Muslim cricketer was drafted in. He proved a splendid choice and was one of the few successes for the Indians on that dismal tour. Baig played in the fourth Test, after the Indians had lost the first three, and repeatedly hooked Trueman’s bouncers. Though he was hit on the head by one bouncer, and had to retire hurt, he came back to complete a fighting century – joining a select band of Indians who had scored a century in their first Test. Baig became an instant Indian hero. Here was a cricketer who could answer fire with fire, bouncers with hooks. His status as India’s up-andcoming batsman was further reinforced the following winter when the Australians under Richie Benaud toured India. Though India lost the series, they won a Test match (their first victory against Australia) and Baig was a central figure in the Indian batting revival. In the third Test at Mumbai, with India always struggling to stay in the match, Baig scored a fifty in each innings. Yet within a year Baig’s cricketing world had been reduced to dust. After the 1959–60 Australian tour, he was to play just five more Tests for India in the next fifteen or so years. His nemesis came after
