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In 1970, Pataudi was removed from did not end with his playing career. He
the captaincy by chief selector Vijay has been administrator, selector, coach at
Merchant’s casting vote. But he was various times since his retirement and was
brought back as captain after India were in the selection committee which picked
routed 3-0 by England in 1974 which the 1983 World Cup winning team. Borde
forced Ajit Wadekar to retire. The India turned 90 this July. He says he’s looking
versus West Indies home Test series forward to still helping Indian cricket if
was fascinating for its massive swings in needed.
fortunes, India losing the first two Tests,
winning the next two, and losing the
decider at Mumbai. Pataudi’s captaincy,
and particularly his handling spin bowlers
Bedi, Parasanna, Chandrashekhar and
Venkataraghavan makes for a textbook
case study of cricket strategy.
Chandrakant `Chandu’ Borde was
Pataudi’s deputy for the most part, getting
to lead the team only in the captain’s
absence because of injury or illness. But his
contributions to Indian cricket cannot be Sunil Gavaskar and Gundappa
understated. Like Hazare, Borde too was Vishwanath make perhaps the most
a Christian. Growing up in Poona, he was fascinating batting duo in Indian cricket.
drawn to cricket by the exploits of Professor Both born in 1949 (Vishwanath is a few
D B Deodhar, the `Grand Old Man’ of months older), they came into the Indian
Indian cricket, and Kamal Bhandakar, who team on the strength of consistent run-
at one time coached Sunil Gavaskar. making at the university and first class
In the initial stages of his career, Borde levels,and once in India colours, propped
was a promising all-rounder – a leg spinner, up India’s batting in contrasting, but
aggressive batsman and electric-heeled brilliant fashion in the 1970s.
in the field. Injury forced him to give up Both were part of then chief selector
bowling, but this helped develop his batting Vijay Merchant’s philosophy of `Catch
to a degree that he was touted as India’s Em Young’, to infuse fresh lungs, legs and
best batsman in the 1960s. He had the ambition at a time when Indian cricket was
performances to show for his reputations beginning to look jaded.
too. In 1964, he anchored India to a famous Vishwanath got his India cap first, against
win against Australia at the Brabourne Australia in Kanpur in 1969. He made zero
Stadium. In 1966 at the same venue, he in his first innings, but scored a century in
made a century against the mighty West the second to herald his arrival as a batting
Indies led by Sir Gary Sobers. Technically star.
sound and with fine temperament, Borde Gavaskar made his debut in the epochal
was the most vital player for India in this series against West Indies in 1971. He
period along with Pataudi. scored a phenomenal 774 runs in the series,
Borde’s contribution to Indian cricket a record which has stood the test of time for
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