Utility Man

All-rounders have perhaps the most demanding jobs in contemporary cricket. Unlike batsmen or bowlers, who have only to play their assigned roles, cricketers like Kapil Dev or Richard Hadlee etch a spectacular array of parts on the field. Meet Chandu Sarwate, one of the great all-rounders of years past. Truly a Player for all Seasons.

Despite being located in the heart of the bustling city of Indore, C T Sarwate’s house is surrounded by tranquillity. Echoing the mood of its inhabitants. The ace all-rounder – in whose name stands the record last wicket stand of 249 runs with Shute Bannerjee – sits on the verandah, basking in the warmth of the winter sun, as he takes fresh guard to begin an eventful trip down memory lane. Having been an active participant in the game for long and having witnessed all its ups and downs, Sarwate draws immeasurable pleasure from delving into its past.

Born in Jabalpur, in 1920, Chandrashekhar (he is popularly called Chandu) Sarwate was drawn to cricket while still at school. With the passage of time, the interest became an obsession, and, later, a way of life.

Chandu was only 16 when he made his Ranji debut for C P & Berar as a leg-spinner. `In my maiden performance, I took five wickets giving away 33 runs, against Hyderabad’ he recalls, But his association with C P & Berar did not last long because the province did not participate in the Ranji trophy for the next couple of years. So the young law graduate moved to Pune, to play for the national champions, Maharashtra. In 1940-41, playing for the state against Madras in his maiden Ranji final that year, Sarwate was instrumental in Maharashtra – led by professor Deodhar- retaining the trophy. His bowling figures were 11-2-26-3 and 32-2-9-83-6.

A job in the docks in Bombay, saw Sarwate representing the metropolis. He was with them till a little time before a terrible fire that swept the dock area broke out. The sense of relief at his narrow escape has not faded even now, 40 years later. `Maharajah Yeshwant Rao Holkar wanted me to play for the Holkar team. So he sent Col C K Nayudu to invite me to Indore, and I went. A few days later, the fire broke out. The person who replaced me in my job was killed in that fire.’

In Indore, under Col Nayudu’s expert guidance , Sarwate blossomed into one of the finest all-rounders of contemporary cricket. Making his debut for the Holkars against Bihar in 1944-45, Sarwate hit a quick 72 and followed it up with match winning figures of 9 for 72. In the semi-final match versus Madras, at Madras, Sarwate bundled out the opponents single-handed, with a match haul of 13 for 149. He also chipped in with the bat, scoring 74 valuable runs. The Holkars won by 10 wickets.