In the winter of 1969, I was only a teenager, aged 13, and had just transferred from Craddock High School to Swavalambi Vidyalaya, Wardha. Television sets were as rare as a hat-trick in cricket back then, so my knowledge of cricket was limited to radio broadcasts and newspapers. However, I was a huge cricket fan, and the idea of attending a live match was something I had only ever dreamed of.
When my father’s friend, Mr. Champalal Fattepuria, offered to take me to a test match between India and New Zealand, I could barely contain my excitement. This was my chance to see the game I loved so much and to witness some of the greatest players of the time up close.
The VCA stadium, which was located near Liberty Cinema at the time, hosted the match. The Jamtha stadium was built four decades later. As we drove to the stadium in Mr. Fattepuria’s car, I couldn’t help but feel the same anticipation and excitement that Sunil Gavaskar would feel as he took guard to face the fiery Andy Roberts.
This was no ordinary matchโit was the second match of a three-match test series, and it was being played at the newly-built stadium for the very first time. As we approached the stadium, the sound of the excited crowd grew louder and louder. I could feel the energy and excitement building within me as I caught my first glimpse of the players in their crisp white flannels.
As the match began, I watched with awe as India and New Zealand battled it out on the field. The energy and excitement of the crowd around me was contagious, and I found myself cheering along with them at every run, catch, and wicket.
Watching the legendary players of the Indian cricket team take the field in front of me was truly an awe-inspiring experience. With the great Nawab of Pataudi, Jr. leading the team and players like Bedi, Prasanna, Engineer, Wadekar, and Venkataraghavan on the field, India was a force to be reckoned with.
But it wasn’t just the Indian team that impressed meโthe New Zealanders, led by Graham Dowling, were just as formidable. It was clear from the start that this was going to be an intense match, with both sides giving it their all.
As I watched from the stands, I was amazed at how Farokh Engineer, the Indian wicket-keeper, stood so deep when keeping wickets to Syed Abid Ali and Rusi Surti, medium-pace bowlers. The skill and style with which he kept the wicket, caught the ball and passed it on to Ajit Wadekar, at first slip was truly something to behold.
And then there was Ambar Roy, the left-hand batsman. Making his debut in test cricket, he came at the fall of the seventh wicket and was the last batsman to get out. I can still picture him now, cutting, pulling, and straight driving Howarth for three boundaries in an over on his way to a well-made 48. It was an incredible performance that left the crowd roaring with excitement.
Sadly, Ambar Roy’s promising cricket career was cut short due to his untimely death from malaria in September 1997. Tragically, he is not the only one from the Indian team that played that day to have passed away. Ajit Wadekar, Chetan Chauhan, Mansur Ali Khan Pataudi, Rusi Surti, and Ashok Mankad have all left us since then.
Similarly, from the New Zealand team, Bruce Murray, Bevan Congdon, Kenneth Wadsworth, Bob Cunis, and Hedley Howarth have also passed away. It’s a sobering reminder of the passage of time, and of how quickly life can pass us by.
Despite the pitch turning sharply from the first day itself, our spinnersโthe stalwarts Prasanna, Bedi, and Venkataraghavanโcouldn’t make the ball dance as much as Howarth could. India had a daunting task of chasing 277 runs for victory, but our batsmen struggled to score against the lethal bowling attack of the Kiwis.
The second innings was a painful ordeal for the Indian team, adding just 44 runs between tea and stumps on day 4 while losing five wickets. On day 5, India’s inning lasted barely 40 minutes, and we lost the match by a whopping 167 runs. With each wicket, my heart sank deeper, and I returned home with a heavy heart.
However, despite the defeat, attending my first cricket test match left a lasting impression on me. It made me realize that the thrill of watching cricket in person is unmatched and cannot be replicated by listening to it on the radio or watching it on television. Being there in the stadium, feeling the energy of the crowd, and seeing the players in action was a surreal experience that I would cherish forever.
It was a vivid and unforgettable experience that ignited my love for cricket.
