Utility Man
Sarwate’s most exciting moments in cricket were experienced in Australia. `Seeing Bradman in action was like a dream come true. He was a perfect batsman. Bradman was matchless in his footwork. He had a quick eye and would place his shots excellently. He never hit the ball straight to the fielder. I think he is definitely the greatest batsman cricket has ever seen.’ ,’ he sighs. Of the Indian equivalent he says, `Gavaskar is the greatest opening bastman I have ever seen. His greatness lay in the fact that he played for a side which often did not have even a genuine medium-pace bowler, whereas he had to face and perform against the quickest and most lethal pace attacks in the world. In the post-merger era of the princely state teams, Chandu Sarwate played for Madhya Bharat and then Madhya Pradesh which he led till his retirement in 1967. Thereby earning the unique distinction of playing for six teams in the Ranji trophy. Commenting on the players of his time, Sarwate says: `While Nayudu was always attacking, Merchant had a very defensive approach. Deodhar was somewhere in between the two. As a captain, Nayudu could really boost the morale of players even in the dying moments of the game, to make a match out of any situation.’
Sarwate’s association with cricket did not end with his retirement. `I could express myself well and had knowledge of the game. So I appeared for an audition as a cricket commentator,’ he says.
Since then he has been involved with the game in various capacities – commentator, selector, writer, administrator, adjudicator. He is also a professional graphologist.
The present-day metamorphosis of cricket does perturb the master all-rounder but he says confidently, `The show shall, and must, go on.’
HIS DREAM TEAM
Sunil Gavaskar (captain)
Vijay Merchant
Dilip Vengsarkar
Gundappa Viswanath
Vijay Hazare
Vinoo Mankad
Kapil Dev
Farokh Engineer (wicketkeeper)
Amar Singh
Mohammed Nissar
Bhagwat Chandrashekhar.
Merchant and Gavaskar, make the most competent opening pair, Both of them have the ability to face fierce pace attacks and can build a long innings.
Viswanath, Vengsarkar and Hazare can tackle any bowling attack in the world with confidence. Mankad and Kapil, both tremendous all-rounders, can add quick, useful runs. The fact that a batsman like Engineer is placed at no 8 speaks of the batting depth in the side.
Amar singh and Nissar are the nippiest pace-bowlers India has ever produced. Both are very quick and also quite accurate. Along with Kapil, they would make one of the best opening attacks in the world.
Vinoo’s left-arm spin and Chandra’s sharp googlies and top spinners could extract life out of even a dead track. On a turning wicket, they can be virtually unplayable. In fact, on a turning wicket, one more spinner, either Bedi, Prasanna or Gupte could replace a middle-order bastman to add venom to the spin.
Gavaskar is a astute player. He can lead the side well. Indeed this team could be an invincible XI.