Glorious Comebacks

1978 was a grand occasion for Bishan Bedi’s team as they landed in Pakistan, escorted by a huge cohort of journalists. There was a coach and a Toyota waiting for them at the airport. The manager, Fatehsinhrao Gaekwad was the erstwhile King of Baroda, Member of Parliament, ex-chairman of BCCI, honorary life-member of the MCC, renowned radio commentator and the biggest ‘celebrity’ of the touring party. He assumed that the Toyota was for him but when he made an advance towards the vehicle, the chauffeur asked him to take the coach instead: the Toyota, as he mentioned, was for “Lala Saheb“. That was the charm of Lala Amarnath- the first renaissance man of Indian cricket. India’s epic win in the West Indies in 1971 saw the re-emergence of two of its almost forgotten soldiers, irreplaceable Salim Durani and Dilip Sardesai, the original ‘Renaissance Man’ of Indian cricket. The tradition continued as Mohinder Amarnath and more recently, Sourav Ganguly, who rose like phoenix from the ashes. Watch this episode which glorifies the players who personified the proverb, “cometh the hour, cometh the man”.