Countering the fiercest tempo bowlers of their prime, Aunshuman Gaekwad was all the time an image of steely calm. Later as a coach, the previous India opener was all grace, empathy and laughter with the last-mentioned attribute in full proof when Anil Kumble acquired his ‘good ten’ towards Pakistan at Delhi in 1999.
ALSO READ | Indian cricket legend Aunshuman Gaekwad passes away at 71
Nevertheless in his battle towards most cancers, Gaekwad, Baroda’s mainstay and one among Sunil Gavaskar’s regular opening colleagues, needed to play second-fiddle. Gaekwad, aged 71, handed away on Wednesday, forsaking a grief-stricken cricketing fraternity. A current stint in London hospitals whereas his former team-mates Gavaskar and Kapil Dev rallied round him, is each a tribute to the way in which he was cherished and the enduring friendships he cast.
One other maestro should be grieving now as the nice G.R. Viswanath was one among Gaekwad’s closest buddies. In his prime, the bespectacled Gaekwad was an immovable object towards the quickest of bowlers together with Michael Holding. His 1985 Take a look at runs from 40 matches might not absolutely reveal the standard he possessed however there was no restrict to his stone-walling method that was evident within the 201 he scored towards Pakistan at Jalandhar in 1983.
Aunshuman Gaekwad on the Sportstar Aces Awards in 2020
| Photograph Credit score:
R Ragu
Aunshuman Gaekwad on the Sportstar Aces Awards in 2020
| Photograph Credit score:
R Ragu
His 81 towards the West Indies at Kingston’s Sabina Park throughout the 1976 tour, is the stuff of legend, and it’s an innings that Holding, Gaekwad’s then tormentor, all the time remembers. Pressured to retire damage following a grotesque harm, the opener was resigned to seeing India lose to the Caribbean males in a Take a look at marred by blood spilled on the turf. This was a new-age ‘bodyline’ and extra vicious in its intent.
Having performed for India for greater than a decade, Gaekwad continued as a first-class cricketer until the 1991-92 season earlier than seamlessly transferring into teaching, choice and administration. Comfortable-spoken and with a simple smile, he was all the time accessible to the media whereas his shut friends referred to as him Anshu and relished their evenings of nostalgia and banter with him.
Not too long ago Kapil launched a video, imploring Gaekwad to battle again like he all the time had carried out. By the point the enchantment concluded, one among India’s best cricketers was in tears, such was Gaekwad’s deep emotional impression on all these he interacted with in a storied profession. India has misplaced a positive cricketer, and for all these he performed with and coached, this loss is private.