Book_Roaring India

ROARING INDIA CRICKET 70s-80s

SUNIL GAVASKAR 11

FISRT TEST CRICKETER TO BEAT DON BRADMAN'S MOST,
(29) CENTURIES IN TEST MATCHES.
WENT ON SCORING 34 TEST RUNS.
SCORED TEST 100s

AGAINST ALL TEST PLAYING COUNTRIES IN THAT ERA.

ROARING INDIA CRICKET 70s-80s

ROARING INDIA CRICKET 70s-80s

DILIP VENGSARKAR

ONLY FOREIGN TEST CRICKETER TO SCORE 3 TEST CENTURIES AT
LORD'S CRICKET GROUND,

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ROARING INDIA CRICKET 70s-80s

FAROKH ENGINEER

FASTEST TEST CENTURY SAME DAY BEFORE LUNCH AGAINST WEST INDIES.
A PROLIFIC WICKET KEEPER BATSMAN OF THE ERA.

ROARING INDIA CRICKET 70s-80s 13

ROARING INDIA CRICKET 70s-80s

KARSAN GHAVRI

BEST UTILITY TEST CRICKETER OF 70s-80s ERA.
RESPONSIBLE FOR THE MEMORABLE WIN

AGAINST GREG CHAPPELL'S AUSTRALIAN TEAM IN 80s.

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ROARING INDIA CRICKET 70s-80s

CHETAN CHAUHAN

BEST TEST OPENER IN 70s-80s ERA.
OPENED TEST INNING WITH SUNIL GAVASKAR MOST NUMBER OF TIME

AND AGAINST ALL TEST PLAYING NATIONS IN THE 70s-80s.
CURRENTLY IS THE VICE PRESIDENT OF
DELHI DISTRICT CRICKET ASSOCIATION.
EX. MEMBER OF PARLIAMENT.

ROARING INDIA CRICKET 70s-80s 15

ACHIEVEMENTS
OF THE

LEGENDARY
INVITED

CRICKETERS

AJIT WADEKAR

AJIT WADEKAR

THEN NOW LEFT Handed Batsman

18 Ajit Laxman Wadekar, an ROARING INDIA CRICKET 70s-80s
aggressive LEFT Handed
Batsman of his time, played
for India between 1966 and
1974. Wadekar made his
rst-class debut in 1958,
before making his foray into
international cricket in 1966.

He batted at number three and Finest Slip Fielder
was considered to be one of First Winner Captain
the nest slip elders.
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Wadekar had his Test Cricket
debut against Gary Sobers led
formidable visiting West Indies
team at Brebourne stadium, the
then Bombay.

Wadekar became the rst Indian captain to achieve overseas
wins while touring the West Indies and England in 1971. India won

over ve matches series in the
West Indies in the early 1970s,
and then went on beating Ray
Illingworth Led strong English
side at Oval Cricket Ground.
This was the First time ever
not only a visiting Indian
Cricket team beat England on
their own soil, but India went
on winning the three match
Ajit Receiving Life Time Achievement Award series by margin of 1-0.

ROARING INDIA CRICKET 70s-80s

Wadekar led India to a third successive series victory, beating Arjuna Award &
England again at home in 1972-73. National Award

The Team India won by 2–1 in a ve-match series in 1972–73.

Wadekar also represented India in its rst ever ODI in 1974 in
England.

The Government of India honored him with the Arjuna Award
(1967) and national award “Padmashri” (1972).

Later in his life, He was the coach and Manager of the Indian
National cricket team. Sachin Tendulkar and Saurav Ganguli were
groomed under his leadership.

He was also awarded “Mother Teresa” Award for promoting
cricket among the under privilege kids.

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SUNIL GAVASKAR

SUNIL GAVASKAR

THEN NOW

Sunil Manohar "Sunny" Gavaskar, widely Greatest Opening Batsman
regarded as one of the greatest opening
Batsmen in the history of Cricket. He set ROARING INDIA CRICKET 70s-80s
world records in accumulating and scoring
runsand setting records in variety of
faculty as a Batsman.

He was the First ever Test Cricket

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batsman to beat Sir Don Bradman's Most Test cricket centuries. Fast Bowler
He held the record of 34 Test centuries for almost two decade,
which was eventually broken by Sachin Tendulkar in December
2005 and cricketers later.

Gavaskar was widely admired for his
technique against fast bowling. His average
of 65.45 against the “SPEEDSTAR” West
Indies who possessed the vicious fast
bowling in Test cricket history.

In 2012, Gavaskar was awarded the Col CK Nayudu Lifetime Lifetime Achievement
Achievement Award for Cricket in India, a unique distinction. Award

ROARING INDIA CRICKET 70s-80s 23

Here are few salient features of batting Top Scorer
achievements:
Maximum Centuries
Gavaskar was the rst Test cricket player
to make over 10,000 runs. ROARING INDIA CRICKET 70s-80s

 He is the only cricketer to score 1000
runs or more in a calendar year on 4
occasions.

 He is the only cricketer to top score
in both the completed innings of a
Test on ve occasions

 He is the only cricketer to top score
in 58 completed innings.

 He is the only cricketer to have the
highest match aggregate on 36
occasions.

 He has the highest runs (774) maker
by a debutant.

 He has scored the most runs by any

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player in a series (774) against West Indies. First Indian Fielder
getting 100 TestCatches
 He has the maximum runs & centuries scored by a player
against West Indies – 2749 runs & 13 centuries.

 He is the only cricketer to score 4 consecutive centuries at 2
venues – Port of Spain & Wankhede stadium, Mumbai.

 He is the only cricketer to score hundreds in 3 consecutive
innings twice.

 He is the only cricketer with 58th century partnership with 18
different players.

 He is a joint holder of the record for scoring centuries in both
the test match innings on three separate occasions along with
Australia's Ricky Ponting.

 He became the rst Indian elder (excluding wicket-keepers)
to get over one hundred catches in Test cricket. He was also
named as one of the Wisden cricketers of the year in 1980.

ROARING INDIA CRICKET 70s-80s 25

26 ROARING INDIA CRICKET 70s-80s

DILIP VENGSARKAR

DILIP VENGSARKAR

THEN NOW

Dilip Balwant Vengsarkar is one of the most prolic and uent Prolic and Fluent
stylish Batsman world cricket has ever produced. His on and off Stylish Batsman
side strokes were gem of Cricket batting dictionary. He was
Highest Batting Averages
known as one of the foremost exponents of the drive. He was also
known by the nickname 'Colonel'. ROARING INDIA CRICKET 70s-80s

Along with Sunil Gavaskar and Gundappa Viswanath, he was a key
player in the Indian batting line up in the late 70s and early 80s.
He went on to play till 1989.

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Dilip Vengsarkar with the Asia Cup in 1984 Man of the Series
in 1986
Dilip Vengsarkar played for Bombay in the Ranji Trophy. He has
one of the highest batting averages in Test Cricket matches 29
played in India.

He scored a century at Lord's in 1986 and thereby attaining the
distinction of scoring three Test centuries in as many
appearances.

He is the only foreign Test Cricket Player to have this distinction.
Even Sir Donald Bradman did not score 3 centuries at Lord's
cricket ground, the Mecca of all Cricket grounds in the World.

ROARING INDIA CRICKET 70s-80s

Man of the Series in 1986.
Dilip has scored 17 Test Centuries and 35 times 50 mark in 116
Test matches. Incredible performance.
He was awarded the Man of the Series in 1986 Test series in
England, which India won by 2-0, under the leadership of Kapil
Dev.
Dilip went on leading India in 1988 home series against West
Indies under Vivian Richard. Later, he skippered the Indian team
to Caribbean in 1989.
He ended his international career in 1992.

30 ROARING INDIA CRICKET 70s-80s

G.R. VISWANATH

G.R. VISWANATH

THEN NOW

Gundappa Ranganath Viswanath was one of Finest Batsman
India's nest batsmen throughout the 1970s.

Viswanath played Test cricket for India from
1969 to 1983 making 91 appearances and
scored over 6000 Runs.

He is from that elite few in world of Test
Cricket, who scored 100 in their maiden

32 ROARING INDIA CRICKET 70s-80s

appearance for their country. Vishy, as he is Elegant and Wristy
known to his friends, scored his maiden Ton Batsman
against Australia at Kanpur in 1969.

He also played in One Day Internationals from
1974 to 1982. Vishy, also played World cup for
India in 1975 and 1979.

He was an elegant and wristy batsman with uent stroke. His
Square cuts and drive were out of the world, beauty to watch. He
emphasized timing rather than power though he had a complete
repertoire of shots, around the wicket.

He was a very reliable elder at the slip position.

G R Viswanath Receiving Lifetime Achievement Award 33

ROARING INDIA CRICKET 70s-80s

Chetan Chauhan Ex. Member of Parliament (MP),
for the current ruling Political party BJP.

34 ROARING INDIA CRICKET 70s-80s

CHETAN CHAUHAN

CHETAN CHAUHAN

THEN NOW

Chetan Pratap Singh Chauhan is one of the Elegant Test Cricketer
most elegant Test Cricketer, Opening
Batsman India has ever produced. After the ROARING INDIA CRICKET 70s-80s
legendary Mustaque Ali and Vijay Marchent,
Chetan Chauhan was the most formidable
opening batsman with Sunil Gavaskar.

Though played 40 times for India in

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International competition, Arjuna Award
unfortunately, scoring a Test
Match 100 eluded him. He played Executive Vice President
most of his Test matches as an DDCA
opening partner with Sunil
Gavaskar. 37

Between him and Gavaskar, they
had First wicket century
partnership against all Test
crickets playing nation, at his
time. Chetan played International cricket starting 1969 thru
1982. He was the regular opening partner to Sunil Gavaskar
during the 70-80.Arjuna Award.

Chetan still holds the First wicket record partnership over 400
Runs with Madhu Gupte till date. Chetan played domestic Cricket
for Maharashtra and Delhi.

Chetan was also the winner of ARJUNA award, as the best
Cricketer of the year.

He is the current Executive Vice President of Delhi District
Cricket Association (DDCA).

ROARING INDIA CRICKET 70s-80s

38 ROARING INDIA CRICKET 70s-80s

FAROKH ENGINEER

FAROKH ENGINEER

THEN NOW

Farokh Maneksha Engineer is one of the Best Wicket Keeper
best ever Wicket Keeper Batsman India
has ever produced. He was a very ROARING INDIA CRICKET 70s-80s
amboyant hard hitting batsman of his era.
He was a very agile and ashy Wicket
Keeper, India had ever produced as well.

Farokh is the senior most players in Ajit

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Wadekar's side in the seventies. 41
He has the distinction of scoring the
fastest Test match Century before
Lunch on a given day, against the then
mighty fast bowling of West Indies. He
literally man handled and tore apart the
West Indies bowling, on that pre lunch
session of the Test Match.
Farokh played for Bombay and
Lancashire. He is still the most popular individual at the Old
Trafford cricket ground in Manchester.
Farokh played 46 Test matches and is a British citizen Lives in
Lancashire, England.

ROARING INDIA CRICKET 70s-80s

42 ROARING INDIA CRICKET 70s-80s

KARSAN GHAVRI

KARSAN GHAVRI

THEN NOW

Karsan Devjibhai Ghavri played in 39 Test Left-Arm Fast-Medium
matches and 19 ODIs from 1974 to 1981. Pace Bowler
He was Kapil Dev's bowling partner when
the Future Indian Captain made his great ROARING INDIA CRICKET 70s-80s
debut in 1978 against Pakistan at
Faisalabad.

Ghavri was a left-arm fast-medium pace

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bowler, with a long run-up and a high First Test Against
leaping action. He could also produce Australia
quickish but accurate left-arm nger spin.
Altogether he took 109 Test wickets, 45
including four ve-wicket hauls. With the
bat he was usually found in the lower
order but managed a couple of Test half
centuries including a career best 86
against Australia in Bombay. By the time
he was dismissed he had made a record
eighth-wicket partnership of 127 with Syed Kirmani. His 86 came
of just 99 balls which contained 12 fours and 3 huge sixes. Syed
Kirmani who was sent as a night watchman remained unbeaten
with 101. India went on to win that Test match and also the series
against Kim Hughes' Australian team.

Despite making his debut in 1975, it wasn't until the season of
1976–77 that he cemented his spot in the side after series
against New Zealand and England. He remained a regular member
of the side until 1981. His most successful series came against
the West Indies in 1978–79 with 27 wickets. One of his
memorable spell came during India's tour of Australia in 1981

ROARING INDIA CRICKET 70s-80s

during second innings of the 3rd Test match of the series. On the
4th day of that match he got rid of Australia's opening batsman
John Dyson and captain Greg Chappell in 2 successive deliveries
which set up the stage for India's victory on the nal day. India
won that match by 59 runs with Kapil Dev doing rest of the
damage on the nal day of the match.
Ghavri was eventually replaced by Madan Lalduring the 1982 tour
of England.
Karsan was one of the most uent utility players for India in his
time. After his international playing career he coached Bengal and
Later Mumbai team.

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YAJURVINDRA SINGH

YAJURVINDRA SINGH

THEN NOW

Yajurvindra Singh only played 4 Test matches between 1977 and Made World Record
1979. He holds world record of most catches in a Test match. He
is fondly known to his friend as “Sunny”. He belongs to the Royal ROARING INDIA CRICKET 70s-80s
family of Bilkha state in Junagadh district in Saurashtra.

He studied at the elite Rajkumar College in Rajkot, where he
captained his School Team at the same time that Karsan Ghavri,
who hailed from Rajkot, and who eventually went on to play for

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the Indian team, captained the Virani High School team. The two
often played against each other at local school xtures.

He co-holds with Australian captain Greg Chappell two Test
elding records: 5 catches in an innings, and 7 in a match.

“Sunny” Captained Saurashtra state team in Ranji Trophy record
number of years. He also played for Staffordshire in English
county league.

In later years he was an executive Mahindra & Mahindra and
sports ambassador for TATA Consultancy Services.

ROARING INDIA CRICKET 70s-80s 49

50 ROARING INDIA CRICKET 70s-80s

SYED ABID ALI

SYED ABID ALI

THEN NOW

Abid Ali made it to the Hyderabad junior side in 1958–59 and the
state Ranji Trophy team in the next year. He hardly bowled in the
rst few years and did not score his rst Ranji hundred till 1967.
He was unexpectedly picked for the team to tour Australia and
New Zealand that year.

He made it to the team for the rst Test against Australia
possibly in the place of the captain M.A. K. Pataudi who dropped

52 ROARING INDIA CRICKET 70s-80s

out injured. Abid scored 33 in both innings 53
and took 6 wickets for 55, the best by
Indian on debut at this point. Sent in to
open the batting in the third Test he hit
Abid was the non-striker when Sunil
Gavaskar scored the winning runs against

the West Indies in the
Port of Spain Test of
1971.

In the nal Test of the series, Abid bowled
Rohan Kanhai and Garry Sobers in consecutive
balls. A few months later, he hit the winning boundary when India
defeated England by four wickets at the Oval.

In the Manchester Test of the same series, he took the rst
four wickets for 19 runs before lunch on the rst day to reduce
England to 4 for 41.

He played nine more Test matches, and scored 70 runs against
New Zealand in the 1975 World Cup. He continued to play rst
class cricket for four more years. Abid Ali scored more than
2000 runs and took over hundred wickets for Hyderabad in the

ROARING INDIA CRICKET 70s-80s

Ranji Trophy. His highest individual score
was 173 not out against Kerala in 1968-69
and his best bowling was 6 for 23 against
surrey.

Abid Being Carried Away By Fans at Oval -1971

Abid – Sunil - Gary Sobers In 1970 ROARING INDIA CRICKET 70s-80s

54

PADMAKAR SHIVALKAR

PADMAKAR SHIVALKAR

THEN NOW

Padmakar Kashinath Shivalkar is a former Indian rst class Highest Wicket Taker
cricketer. A slow left-arm orthodox bowler, Shivalkar spent over
20 years playing for Bombay and is the team's highest wicket ROARING INDIA CRICKET 70s-80s
taker of all time. He was almost 50 when he retired.

He was unlucky not to be selected for the Indian Test side, but
his career coincided with that of Bishan Bedi. He toured Sri Lanka
with a strong Indian side in 1973-74, playing in both matches

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against Sri Lanka and taking four wickets. His best bowling gures Melodious Singer
came in the nal of the Ranji Trophy in 1972-73, when he took 8
for 16 runs and 5 wickets for 18 for Bombay against Tamil Nadu.
In the previous year Semi Final he captured 8 wickets for paltry
18 Runs and 5 Wickets for 31 runs against Mysore. In his era in
the Seventies/Eighties he was a prolic wicket taking machine.
But for Bishen Singh Bedi in his period, Shivalkar would have
played many Test matches and possibly could have taken as many
wickets as Bishen Bedi took.

He has a very humble personality and a melodious singer in his
private life.

ROARING INDIA CRICKET 70s-80s 57

Chandra – Bedi – Prasanna – Venkatraghavan
Great Spin Quatret of India in 70s-80s

58 ROARING INDIA CRICKET 70s-80s

B.S. CHANDRASHEKHAR

B.S. CHANDRASHEKHAR

THEN NOW

Chandrasekhar was born in 1945 in Mysore, where he had his Leg Spin Bowler
primary education. He developed an early interest in cricket
watching the playing styles of Australian leg spinner Richie ROARING INDIA CRICKET 70s-80s
Benaud. An attack of polio at the age of six left his right arm
withered. At the age of 10, his hand had recovered and
Chandrasekhar started playing cricket.

By that time his family relocated to Bangalore and he got an

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